No momento, uma espaçonave de construção privada chamada Odysseus acaba de concluir sua missão de coletar dados científicos do Polo Sul da Lua. A empresa é uma das cinco parcerias com a NASA para ajudar
The lunar lander was created by Texas-based Intuitive Machines, the first private company to land a spacecraft on the moon. The firm is one of five partnering with NASA to help
Kickstart a economia lunar
, começando com serviços de entrega comercial.
The So What
“Returning to the moon is no longer just about exploration and scientific discovery. It is also about economic growth and the application of science for the wellbeing of our planet and its people,” says Troy Thomas , que lidera o BCG's Negócios do setor espacial global .
As empresas privadas estão realizando a exploração e o desenvolvimento da lua por vários motivos. Humanidade, incluindo agricultura e desenvolvimento de drogas.
- It is a gateway to further space exploration, with the potential to support logistics for deep space exploration.
- It is a likely source of resources needed on Earth, for example rare minerals such as Helium-3.
- It could become a center for R&D in areas that will benefit humanity including agriculture and the development of drugs.
Capitalizing on these opportunities requires investments from both the public and private sectors, says Greg Smith , um diretor no BCG.
“If you rely too heavily on commercial firms, there may be too much pressure to deliver returns within an unrealistic timeframe. And if you only rely on public bodies, you may be vulnerable to inconsistent funding cycles, or a slower pace of technological innovation.”
Despite first sending spacecraft to the moon more than 60 years ago, moon exploration remains challenging, and several missions to the moon so far this year have ended in difficulties:
- Astrobotic’s commercial lunar payload mission ended in flames over the Pacific Ocean.
- And Japan’s moon lander lost power after landing in a position that hindered the generation of solar power.
This shouldn’t be a deterrent, according to Smith.
“We need to change the way we think about risk. Trying and failing is the only way to learn. So we need to bake ‘failed’ attempts into the business model and assume it could take five times before a successful mission.”
Now What
The first step is to build the business case for further investment that showcases the long-term opportunities and the advantages of being part of the first wave of activity. Returns on investments aren’t likely to come quickly and are dependent on how operations and technologies develop. The investment community will need a realistic approach to these timeframes and be willing to wait for continued technological developments.
To build a base where people can successfully operate on or near the moon requires a first wave of activity to create the necessary infrastructure. This includes:
- Transporting people and equipment to and from the moon.
- Finding sources of energy, and then storing and distributing that energy.
- Building transport systems on the moon itself, such as rail networks or robotics to transport extracted goods.
- Developing autonomous communication systems to ensure connectivity between different parties operating on the moon.
- Supplying the basic components of human life, including oxygen, food, living quarters, and medicine.
Other elements to kickstart a successful lunar economy include:
Estabelecendo sistemas de governança. Governos e empresas se beneficiarão de um conjunto de princípios e regulamentos para estabelecer normas comportamentais na lua. Eles devem ter como objetivo eliminar possíveis conflitos, além de ser flexível o suficiente para promover a atividade econômica. As áreas de acordo podem incluir a propriedade de territórios ou recursos, como as pessoas viajam e negociam e como garantir que as operações sejam sustentáveis. Implantando avançado Tecnologias de gerenciamento de tráfego espacial Também poderia ajudar a gerenciar colisões em potencial e controlar detritos espaciais à medida que a indústria continua a crescer. Isso pode ocorrer através de campanhas de comunicação eficazes que demonstram benefícios tangíveis, mostrando a pesquisa de biotecnologia realizada na Estação Espacial Internacional. A P&D baseada na atmosfera única da Lua pode ajudar a desenvolvimento de células -tronco para medicina regenerativa, resposta imune para terapias contra o câncer e cristalização mais fácil de proteínas para o desenvolvimento de medicamentos, por exemplo.
Generating public support and understanding. The development of the lunar economy will need the buy-in of governments and the general public, especially during more challenging economic times. This can come through effective communication campaigns that demonstrate tangible benefits by showcasing the biotech research undertaken at the International Space Station. R&D based on the moon’s unique atmosphere could help stem cell development for regenerative medicine, immune response for cancer therapies, and easier protein crystallization for drug development, for example.
Para mais informações, conecte -se com Greg Smith e Troy Thomas No Simpósio Espacial, em Colorado Springs, de 8 a 11 de abril.
