How future space industries might hold the secret to solving things like the environment crisis.

We long to get out of our atmosphere and explore the stars, however could our resources be much better used in this time of crisis?

It's undeniable that space is humankind's future; it's something that we have understood for centuries, capturing the creativity of writers, artists, and scientists, encouraging us to push the boundaries of what we believed was possible. Nevertheless, there's a counterargument that is difficult to argue with-- should we be funnelling an extraordinary amount of resources into chasing after mankind's future among the stars when our present down here on Earth is so precarious? It can be tough to justify new space companies like Blue Origin sending stars and the ultra-rich into orbit for a couple of minutes aboard a blazing ball of carbon emissions as the climate crisis continues to worsen, further impacting the most susceptible communities around the world. Nevertheless, the case for space exploration in the time of the environment crisis is a little bit more intricate than that, and the growing space industry market might really hold a few of the secrets to our environment problems.

One of the first things that have to be comprehended in regards to space exploration, is that it's a location of boundless plenty. Rare Earth minerals and resources are not as uncommon as one may have initially anticipated once you get beyond our planet. In fact, there's a single asteroid orbiting Jupiter which, if it could be mined by space startups like Asteroid Mining Corporation, would total about 130,000 times the entire global economy, propelling us into a post-scarcity economy, a necessary foundation of any possible human paradise. We might also move our heavy industry, such as mining, into the vacuum of space, completely taking the stress off the Earth, as well as spreading a growing population throughout the stars. Of course, this isn't something that can be attained in the 8 years prior to the climate tipping point, but it is worth understanding that investing in space exploration is investing in a future that is better for all.

Maybe the most effective argument for space expedition in the age of the climate crisis is the amazing development that it inspires. Resolving the special, unimaginably complicated obstacles that space presents us with produces a few of the most innovative solutions which can have important applications down here on Earth. For instance, companies like Rubicon are checking out solutions to the difficult problem of space rubbish, which, if solved, could imply amazing things for tidying up our oceans and who knows what else. Space companies in the world can have a significant influence on life down here, not just up beyond the atmosphere, however it is very important that we temper our efforts with the understanding that this world is the only home we're ever going to have.