Is Interplanetary travel becoming a reality through the commercialization of space exploration?

13 Sep 2022

Since the dawn of consciousness, humans have always gazed at the stars and dreamed of getting closer to them. This dream has never been closer to becoming a reality for the masses in recorded or known history of humanity than it is now.

Merely a decade ago, few developed and developing countries were in the race of space exploration with their government-owned space agencies. 

Agencies, such as the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), European Space Agency (ESA), and Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) made successful space explorations with the help of a few genius minds who also got the rare opportunity to witness the cosmos. 


Until the early 2000s, most space travel, research, and development were sponsored by government-funded organizations such as NASA and the ESA. These organizations are currently focusing more on the private sector to support or, more frequently, to take the lead in developing cutting-edge technologies for missions farther into the last frontier.

The constantly expanding space economy also drives the growing trend of private space organizations. According to the BIS Research analysis, as of 2020, the global space economy was worth $371 billion and is expected to reach a value of $540.75 billion by 2026. 

Commercial space exploration in terms of travel has recently gained popularity and provoked a general conversation as Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Virgin Galactic owner Richard Branson completed their private space flight venture in 2021. 

However, the commercialization of space goes beyond taking wealthy people on trips to other planets. It involves transforming the space industry from one that the government supports to one that is self-sufficient; it involves private companies investing in rockets, equipment, and space experimentation. 

For instance, several organizations and start-ups have developed practical and economical solutions for commercializing satellite servicing. 

In-orbit refueling is one such example of a space solution that has benefited from the growth of private space organizations. Considering the exponential growth in satellites and space debris, engineers have understood the significance of maintaining sustainable space operations by promoting more techniques of resource re-utilization. 

The process of in-orbit refueling of satellites involves replacing their onboard propellants and other consumables. The benefits of in-orbit maintenance include lower overall costs, longer mission duration, improved reusability, and more environmentally friendly operations.

The global space in-orbit refueling market consists of primarily three refueling technology capabilities, including propellant transfer, in-orbit rendezvous, and in-orbit propellant storage. 

Many private companies operating in the satellite types and technology industry are highly engaged in research and development initiatives. Therefore, they have been investing in developing new innovative technologies to extend the lifetimes of space assets by enhancing in-orbit servicing solutions. 

According to the BIS Research report, the global space in-orbit refueling market is estimated to reach $1.09 billion by 2032 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 103.85% during the forecast period 2022-2032.  


Is the goal of commercial space travel in the future attainable? 

In 2021, when two of the wealthiest people on Earth took the first private space flight to fulfill their dream of space travel, it was seen by many as an obscene display of riches and power. One major criticism was that billionaires use their money to rocket themselves into space for fun amid several global catastrophes, such as climate change and a pandemic.

However, the wave of space travel in the future will not be diminished by the critics. For those with the means, space travel is already a reality, but it may affect all of humanity.

A few of the significant concerns related to making space accessible to the masses are:

•    Sustainability of current space technology
•    High costs involved with the missions, which the masses cannot afford
•    Its impact on climate change

Therefore, engineers and space scientists mainly focus on developing sustainable and reusable space equipment and technologies to overcome these challenges.

By reusing priceless resources and fostering a circular space economy, reusable space vehicles can lower the cost of access to space and the environmental cost. This is important for frequent space flights.

Material scientists have contributed significantly to the creation of reusable spacecraft parts by utilizing surface coatings that allow for light weighting and damage prevention. 

Space travel in the future will need fleets of effective, affordable, and reusable spacecraft that can carry lots of passengers if it wants to be commercially successful in the long run. Furthermore, these passengers may have strong opinions regarding the sustainability of the ship they chose. There are probably not going to be many paying customers for non-reusable rockets.

For instance, NASA's Space Shuttle was the first largely reusable space launch orbiter. However, because of the failure to recover the external main fuel tank, the Space Shuttle was only partially reusable. The iconic shuttle plane's orbiter and launch booster rockets were both recycled. Despite 135 successful missions, there were catastrophes, and eventually, the shuttle was grounded due to safety issues.

Since the conclusion of the shuttle program, competitors have figured out what constitutes a reusable spaceship and the economic models that make space travel profitable. 

This involves creating launch, orbital, and re-entry vehicles and systems that are cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and safe to reuse and repair. Reusing allows for a longer operational life and provides for the significant initial investment to be fruitful.

In key rocket architecture areas, SpaceX's Falcon launch vehicles utilize light metal alloys and light metals like aluminum. This light-weighting approach significantly lowers costs and spacecraft durability, but it can only be accomplished with cutting-edge material research.

Conclusion

Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin's space tourism flights have only entered suborbital space so far, which means they have not yet entered Earth orbit. 

To make the commercialization of space exploration more viable and fruitful in the future, private companies primarily see prospects in their mass-reusable commercial vehicles, letting the same rockets travel to space repeatedly while reducing the overall cost of space travel. 

 
 

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