In 2019, 95% of the estimated revenue earned in the space sector was from the space-for-earth economy, including goods or services produced in space for use on Earth, such as GPS, internet and telecommunication infrastructure, and weather prediction. This economy is booming and is projected to grow despite overcrowding and monopolization. In contrast, the space-for-space economy has been dormant since the 1970s but is now poised for rampant growth with the achievement of a key milestone. 

In 2021, for the first time in human history, humans accessed space with a vehicle built by a private company with a vision of affordable space settlement. This achievement has significantly decreased the cost per kilogram of payload from approximately $60,000 per kilogram on the space shuttle in the 1980s to $150 per kilogram utilizing the single-use SpaceX Super Heavy Starship.  Additionally, when the Starship can be re-used, the cost could decrease further to as low as $10-20 per kilogram. 

These developments open incredible opportunities for industry, society, and science. The economy for goods and services produced in space for use in space includes space infrastructure, space-based research, mining, and exploration. 

Finally, the earth-for-space economy is also poised for significant growth to support the space-for-space economy as adjacent industries and sectors, including information technology, telecommunications, data/AI/ML, and quantum, are all going to scale and drive new capabilities across sectors, including life sciences, energy, defense, and many others.