Business_Spotlight_No_04_August__

• GLOBAL BUSINESS HEAD-TO-HEAD

SHOULD THE COSMDS BE

COMMERCIALIZED?

Sollte der Weltraum weiterhin nur von Staaten erforscht werden oder sollten auch private Unternehmen

nach Mond und Mars greifen dürfen? VICKI SUSSENS-MESSERER hat zwei Meinungen gehört. "bI!" ' If)

".. ... - wo realiries will drive space exploration
forward, First, space is seen as a good invest-
ment. What was once affordable only for na-
tions, now presents opponunities for lucrative,
public-private pannerships.
Second, firms and investors are realizing that the
things we regard as valuable - metals, minerals, ener-
gy, and land - are in nearly limitless quantities in space.
As space operations become more affordable, wh at was
once seen as a wasre!and will become ehe next gold
rush, For example, one asteroid category, rhe "S-rype,"
is made up of iran, magnesium silicates, and orher valu-
able metals. An average half-kilometer S-type asteroid
is worth more [han $20 Iri.l1.io.n. (about € 14,6 trillion).
Technology is reaching a c rifical point, with exponen-
tial growth in computing technology leading tO expo-
nential growth in nearly every other technologieal in-
dustry, Breakrhroughs in rocket propylsjoo will allow
us ro go further, faster, and more safe!y into spaee.
This is not ro say that governmenrs will lose their role
in the next 50 years in space, They'll still do ehe impor-
tant science work,looking ar the big questions such as:
" Is there life on Mars?'" They'll also play rhe importanr
role of being a !arge custOl1ler,
Thc challenge faced by all space-related vcntures is the
high cost of launching inro orbit, The space shuttle, for
example, cOStS bctween $750 million and 52.b.i.ll..i2n per
f1ight (for up to seven astronaurs), dcpending on the
number of launches each year, Most pcople don't real-
ize that the major cost of a launch is l.a.b2r, .Eürl is less

than twO percent, while the people and infrasrructure

caSt weil over 80 pe rcenr.

The government's new vision will mean the dcvelop-

meor of a comperjrjve marker that will drive down the

CaSt of getting you and me ioro space. One firm I helped

srarr, Space Advenrures, has already organizcd the

flight of eight private cirizens ioro o rbit, ar a cost of

roughly $50 million each. In the nexr five years, we hopc

to reduce that to $20 million, and larer to $5 million.

Within rhe next several decades, privately financed

research stations will be " common sight in th e night

sky. The first one-way missions to Mars will be

launched. Minilll: operations will starr up on th e moon.

More opponunities we have yet even to undcrsrand will

cOllle out of chis new world,

PETER DIAMANDlS is both Ihe head of Zero Gravity, which of-

fers welghtless fllghl s, and head of Ihe Rocket Raclng league,

an interactlve entertainment company.

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