It’s been more than half a century since humankind first set foot on the Moon, but for a long time afterwards, it seemed as if we as a species had lost our enthusiasm for space exploration. Today, however, it’s a different story. The rise of the commercial space sector and the modern private rocket company is heralding a new golden age of space travel, which in turn has spurred NASA and the ESA to redouble their efforts to keep up with the progress of private firms. There’s even a new spirit of collaboration between the two parties, as it’s not unusual to see a rocket company contracted to help one of the large space agencies complete a mission.
A Rocket Company Launching Astronauts?
Perhaps the most significant contributions to modern space exploration come from the private sector. The rocket companies that are most famous today are all led by billionaire celebrity entrepreneurs. By pioneering reusability with their rockets, these big companies are driving down the cost of launch to make it possible for firms that want to use satellites to put their craft into low-Earth orbit (LEO). This kind of rocket company has caused a seismic shift in attitudes towards space exploration. A whole raft of other industries is looking into the potential applications of satellite technology.
Satellites are certain to prove influential for many industries such as logistics and agriculture, where earth observation can help refine business processes. Commercially, it makes sense to exploit the technology if a rocket company can put a satellite into orbit at an attractive price. But satellites aren’t the only thing that a rocket company can put into space. One large rocket company, for example, has actually launched crewed flights certified by NASA transporting astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).
Tour Space With a Rocket Company
Twenty years ago, it would have seemed impossible to imagine manned space flight being entrusted to a commercial operator. Fast forward to today, and space tourism is on the verge of becoming a reality. This year, not one but two rocket company owners became astronauts themselves when they got to suborbital space aboard their company rockets. For the ultra-rich tech entrepreneurs, it seems that even the sky is no longer the limit, as they seek to pursue ambitions that go beyond our planet.
Interstellar Exploration
Another rocket company has far more ambitious plans in development that are still to come. One company is working on a mission that will launch 1,000 small craft to Alpha Centauri, the star system closest to our solar system. The fact that it will take 20 years for the craft to reach its destination has not deterred this rocket company, and the firm is planning to develop ultra-fast space travel technology to help make the mission a reality.
Other firms are designing new rockets with a view to carrying a large number of crew members on board for potential space tourism applications. Large parts of the design also feature the reusability that has been the hallmark of many rocket companies. This will further lower the kilo-to-cost ratio for its commercial partners who want their satellites launched into space.
While the rise of the commercial rocket company is noteworthy, NASA is doing a good job of catching up with more ambitious scientific missions. Their Parker Solar Probe launched in 2018 on a journey to our Sun, which will reach its destination in 2025. The craft is capable of withstanding temperatures of 1377 Celsius in order for it to observe the Sun and record new data on solar winds. When it reaches its orbit 95 million miles from the Sun, it will be seven times closer to our star than any previous spacecraft.
Final Thoughts
While the world may be suffering from a global pandemic at the moment, those of us who look to the heavens will see a bright future for the exploration of space. A new golden age for space technology is underway, from a small rocket company working on innovative new technologies to government space agencies planning to put humankind back to the Moon. For those on the business side of this growth, there will be winners and losers, but those of us who simply want to see humanity explore space have plenty to look forward to. Are there any space projects that you’re particularly excited about? Tell us about them in the comments section below.
OTS News on Social Media