The Pioneers of Affordable and Accessible Space Exploration

A new era of space exploration was created when Elon Musk sucked up most of the public attention. The race to space has been defined by the competition that we hear about on a daily basis. It's no longer NASA sending a man to the moon alone, entrepreneurs are also moving towards bringing space to the reach of dreamers. There are lots of startups who have decided to join the race to space so what we are seeing isn't something that's only available to the superpower nations but to every individual who wants a piece of the pie. And is daring enough to imagine and explore.

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If you read When the Heavens Went on Sale by Ashlee Vance, you will be introduced to a world of competitive individuals who want to change the narrative of space exploration. They have been able to move the needle by making the industry one where a little bit of everything can become something.

For instance, Planet Labs pioneers aerospace companies and they are out to bring the truth to humankind without tampering with anything, especially in the era where truth and facts are often manipulated. This is a company that is led by three space nerds who are leveraging miniature satellites called Doves to capture images of every nook and cranny on Earth. They can use their invention to monitor rainforests, track refugees, etc, and their aim isn't just to reach the star.

They want to use their invention as a force for good, helping us understand the world better by improving transparency through satellite technology. They succeeded in creating an orchestra in Zero gravity according to Vance. And they were able to make giant strides in space when they launch 80+ satellites at the same time. This is something that hadn't been done before, what we had in the past was mostly 2-5 constellations on a good day.

Another company that stood up to change the space narrative is Rocket Lab. They made space accessible and they did this by aiming to manufacture rockets from materials that are cost-effective. Led by Peter Beck, Rocket Lab sets itself apart from the rest of the space companies by utilizing space resources and focusing on efficiency and pragmatism.

The whole idea turned into Rocket Lab becoming a company that is known for electron rockets ready to reach orbit, and once they are arranged in space, you'll see each satellite placed in precise orbits. And if you are a Long term thinker, Vance tells you that this kind of arrangement will make sure that space becomes accessible to a lot of people.

Especially small enterprises because the company creates new possibilities for the deployment of satellites. Rocket Lab can be said to be a realm of ambition because of the constructive and bold change of the narrative in the world of spacecraft.

If you read further, you will find Astra who initially struggled with hitting their dream target, and Firefly Aerospace who dreamt big and broke barriers.

All of these companies just wanted to make space accessible and affordable to a lot of people. Whether you are in the telecommunication industry or scientific research, it did not matter because these silicon valley entrepreneurs are ready to serve you with their inventions.

Even though some of them encountered turbulence, they did not back off, Astra, for example, experienced Research and development issues, until 2020, when their perseverance paid off with a take-off of their Rocket 3.2. Astra sought to enhance life on Earth after that successful launch, reflected in how he tried to serve the people on Earth and help them get their businesses working as long as they are related to space, instead of just trying to hit the moon.

Through innovative approaches, these companies have challenged the norms. They show in practice that reaching the stars doesn't necessarily need deep pockets. They were also able to crack the code and made space exploration affordable and accessible. They did not try to colonize the planets alone, they also sought after making sure that Earth benefited from all that interplanetary colonization. It worked out in various ways that have helped us to make plans for future endeavors using the data we acquire from space. With this newfound truth, everyone gets a share of space and we are still able to make Earth a better place all the way from above.

REFERENCES:

Planet Labs

Rocket Lab

Astra

Firefly Aerospace

When the Heavens Went on Sale: The Misfits and Geniuses Racing to Put Space Within Reach