Economic Benefits

[owenander]

Aside from tourism and asteroid mining, what are some other possible financial possibilities of space exploration? I don't think it will really kick off until people are able to make a profit.

 

[qso1]

You are correct. It will not kick off till profit can be made. We have yet to really utilized the ocean depths because of daunting technical challenges that currently overcome the profit potential of living below the seas.<br /><br />So far for space, tourism and lunar/asteroid mining are the only primary economic possibilities that may produce large profits. But the profits are not large enough to overcome the initial investment of getting to the destinations.<br /><br />IMO and the opinions of those far more knowledgeable than me, we have to bring down the cost of getting to LEO before anything else can be done at a reasonable cost. One way I have hypothesized would be for a private company or companies to develop the means not only to get to LEO, but industrialize it as well. Once some level of industrialization is achieved, extending out to mine the moon would presumably be next. As industrialization gains momentum. More people will be required to oversee what will probably be substantially automated operations. Certain industrial spacecraft or lunar bases will become the hubs from which tourism and industrial activity will continue to expand.<br /><br />As for what else could provide profit, medical research in environments such as Venus combined with nano technology advances might produce medicines not yet even imagined. Ultimately if we ever find Earthlike worlds having resources similar to our Earth, and presumably no intelligent competition for such resources, the profit potential would grow enormously provided we overcome another barrier. Interstellar travel. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[webtaz99]

The situation is analagous to the gold rush. Much of the potential for profits in the space industry lie in supplying the needs of the space industry. One example is Lunar oxygen and possibly rocket fuel for Mars trips. Another is Lunar materials for building SPS units. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[josh_simonson]

We've got:<br />Tourism<br />Mining (precious metals/materials back to earth)<br />Zero-G manufacturing/research<br />Communication<br />Highest-level quarantine for dangerous experiments/industry<br />Disposal of nuclear waste<br />Solar power generation/transmission to earth<br />Climate/weather control<br />Asteroid impact prevention (gov't will pay for reasonably inexpensive scheme)<br /><br />Then there are space service markets that serve the above (some of which already exist - like communications). These include:<br />In-situ propellant production<br />On-orbit assembly/repair<br />Orbital trash mitigation<br />Crew habitats/space stations<br />Launch services<br />In situ hardware production<br />In situ food and consumables production.<br />In situ recycling<br />In situ power generation<br /><br />It's important to note that items from the first list must take off (at least one has) before items on the second list become feasible.

 

[owenander]

Wow, good reply!