Space Technology and the Space Economy

Commercial space is expanding beyond satellites. Launch costs have dropped 10x in a decade, shifting what was government and defense territory into commercial markets driven by private capital and new business models.

Mature markets include satellite communications, Earth observation, positioning, and data services. Emerging applications: space-based manufacturing, orbital infrastructure, lunar missions. Where is economic opportunity now versus aspirational?

Topics include where investment flows—launch systems, constellations, ground infrastructure, applications—and what business models work. How startups compete with established aerospace firms and where partnerships make sense. Moving from prototype to deployment at scale. How commercial companies work with government buyers and where dual-use matters.

Investors, commercial space companies, satellite operators, launch providers, and infrastructure firms discuss what's working and where bottlenecks exist.