When Technology meets Business: SpaceX's 8th Starlink Mission and Economic Opportunities opened
Every major breakthrough in technology always has a resultant effect on many other sectors. Just as the covid-19 ( a biological technology) has dwindled the economy of many sectors , so has the recent launch of 2 astronauts to space by Elon Musk's SpaceX in collaboration with the United States and NASA. On Wednesday, June 3 at 9:25 p.m. EDT, SpaceX launched its eighth Starlink mission. Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.source
A research in 2019 had predicted that many space-based activities have commercial potential such as:
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tapping space-based clean energy sources
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mining asteroids for useful raw materials
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developing safe venues for scientific experiments
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upcycling/sequestering hazardous but valuable debris currently in space
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tapping sources of water already in space, to decouple into oxygen and hydrogen for space fuels and oxidizers, and to provide radiation shielding mass;
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using the low-gravity, low-temperature and other properties of space for many activities, including manufacturing and research
While we celebrate this great feat, we must not lose sight of the potentials economic openings this major tech breakthrough has brought to the world which could help offset some negative trends set by corona virus pandemic. This post is dedicated to discussing a few sectors that would get boosted by the SpaceX recent successful launch.
1. Transportation
A shuttle to space is already a build on air transportation. On successful return, Elon Musk's SpaceX would have been able to proof to the world that a commercial shuttle can make to space and back. This is an eye-opener for private investors in transportation. SpaceX has set the pace, other could tap from the resource. Moreover, the automobile producers could leverage the astronauts' dashboard design in their creations.
2. Fashion
The recent launch has changed the narratives in the design of astronauts suit. From a previous bogus space wears, a more sleek design has been remodeled. This is an opening for fashion designers who would have to begin an onward design and strategy for the production of such wears in lieu of the resumption of commercial shuttle to space. Besides, we would e seeing an array of new dressing trends just to keep the memories of the 2020th successful Starlink mission's success.
3. History and Entertainment
Elon Musk has made history with this recent technological breakthrough and it won't be put of place to call them the new "Wright Brothers". This is a fresh content area for archival in books and movies. Although the movie industry has tried to model space travel, this current feat by SpaceX would make a good cinema cover if shot well.
Moreover, 2020 should be in the records for tech advancement against the covid pandemic. Historical books and or content preserving modules could be developed to capture and store the memories of this unique adventure for future references. This is an opening for business and profits.
4. Fun and Play
Within the shuttle, one of the astronauts was found with a toy dinosaur. The blue and pink dino served as the Crew Dragon's "zero-gravity indicator,". The toy started to float once the spacecraft left the pull of Earth's gravity. Already the cute toy is all but extinct at online stores having sold for $4.99 in TY's Flippables collection. Amazon has started selling knock-offs of the toy, and even SpaceX briefly offered a $25 version which has since been removed. Entrepreneurs could maximize this to recreate similar models of this dino to flood the markets as it would become a creative tool to better tell the history of SpaceX to kids.
What more?
All the above and many more sectors can be positively affected y SpaceX feat. These are virgin areas for investment. It wouldn't be bad if we started creating digital assets to represent SpaceX or set up a digital shop where models of the entire shuttle and its components could be created which allows for purchase with cryptocurrencies.
The feat by SpaceX has become history and is in the past. There are more to it that can be leveraged by many to better their lives, Now, there is even room for update and improvement if one gives a critical examination.
It is high time, entrepreneurs plunge into the opportunities opened by this major technological breakthrough. I would love to have your views of other opportunities we have in the comments section.
*Images captured from launch video
