Financial Express Interview: What Is the Space Economy?

1. What is the Space Economy?

The Space Economy is where the globe's first quadrillionaire will be made. She will make all her money in Space data.

What does it mean in terms of the Space cooperation countries have with each other?

Because of the riches of Space — for instance there are no such things as “rare-Earth minerals” in Space — Space is all about cooperation. Nations will cooperate to establish permanent settlements on the Moon, Mars and beyond. Cooperation is just one of the many areas women excel in, hence why the Milky Way Economy's first Quadrillionaire will be a woman — and not American. Most likely Nigerian-Chinese, or Chinese-Indian, or Indian-American.

2. What drives the Space Economy?

Currently telecommunications and international banking drives the Space Economy. Also international trade. However, in this decade Global Warming and Climate Change will drive the expansion of the businesses in the Space Economy. Don't get me wrong, Humans will always love rockets and launch. But “astronauts” are just the Uber drivers of the women and men who will make their fortunes in Space and monetizing the data of Space.

What are or could be the challenges?

Space is a hostile place, filled with risk. Space is literally trying to kill you all the time. However, Humans have succeeded in having a Human in orbit for over 20 years on the International Space Station. Which will mean that we'll have a comparatively “easier” time living on the Moon and eventually Mars. Regardless, Space is always trying to kill Humans. That and rocket launches are controlled explosions. There is no such thing as a “routine” explosion of tens of thousands of kilos of rocket fuel. So again, Space is inherently dangerous as is getting there.

3. India has just 3-5 per cent in the USD 400 billion Space Economy. What can and should it do to improve this?

Ignore launch. People love seeing rockets take off. Men in particular. They love their, as Elon Musk calls them, “BFGs”. Ultimately, launch is the technical means of taking the business women of the Space Economy to their workplaces: low Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, etc. Do you glamorize your taxi driver? No. Ignore launch and invest instead in STEAM to monetize the data of Space and of course develop the medical science that will enable us to unlock the secrets of immortality.

Oh, yes, we should mention: the full potential of micro-gravity and biological science hasn't even been scratched. Humans get all excited about rockets. Wait til they learn what can be done with gene editing, stem cell research and cloning in micro-gravity. All of a sudden they'll ignore the taxi drivers (astronauts) and turn to the researchers and doctors who will crack the code to immortality. And yes, I do mean eternal life. I know it sounds crazy. But once upon a time so did flying, visiting the Moon, transplanting organs or growing brand new ones.

4. Space Cooperation with other countries helps in increasing its footprints — so how does it help in the Outer Space & Militarisation?

This is a tough & sticky question. As what happens in Space determines geopolitics here on the ground. Let's discuss this in person, over tea, as soon as the pandemic allows us to travel. Hopefully, when our grandchildren live on Mars and beyond, they will feel the same way — because war in Space is silent but devastating.