Space Economy’s Commercial Boom Raises Stakes Over Who Captures Value

The space industry is becoming more like a regular business sector.

It includes rockets and satellites, but also services such as internet connections, maps, timing and Earth-imaging data.

Launching objects into orbit is much cheaper than it used to be.

This makes it possible for more companies to build satellites and offer new services.

Investors are putting large amounts of money into space companies.

Future businesses might build factories, computers or larger structures in orbit.

The Moon could eventually support transportation, communications, energy and tourism businesses.

Space development also creates risks involving debris, crowded orbits and difficult technical problems.

The United States, China and India are competing to gain economic and strategic benefits from this growth.