Billionaires in Space, a Different Perspective

I hear a lot of cynicism and grumblings about billionaires going to space. I hear a lot of passionate questions like, "Why don't they help the poor? Why don't they end world hunger?" Good questions.

Here is a look at some of the good that such ventures do, from an insider's perspective.

The companies that are building these spaceships to haul billionaires and those who can afford it to the brink of space are creating jobs. Thousands of jobs. And, not all of them are directly on the company payroll.

2018 Visit from Bill Nye

All kinds of people work in these space companies. Engineers and designers, of course. Managers and administrative people, yes. But also tradespeople. Tons of tradespeople. Fabricators. Mechanics. Quality inspectors. Security personnel. Safety personnel. Facilities workers. Information technology specialists. (I consider IT a white collar trade. They are very skilled people who are the backbone of every company these days and they do get dirty sometimes.) 

And then there are the subcontractors and vendors who benefit from relationships with these space companies. Textile companies make fabric for composite layup, chemical companies provide consumable materials for composite fabrications. There are companies that provide steel, aluminum, and alloys, companies that provide hardware, fasteners (screws, nuts, bolts), and specialized tools, companies that provide custom welding and metal fabrication. Many of these companies have supported the aerospace industry for years and benefit from additional business with private space companies. But there are many new companies, small businesses, and start ups that are providing products and services specifically for privatized and commercial space companies. 

Several small companies across the United States have started making rocket engines and propulsion systems. Some are providing products and services to the billionaires' space companies, and many are leveraging the inspiration that the more glamorous companies provide to forge ahead on their own or provide products and services to other space start-ups. While not creating thousands of jobs like the billionaires' companies, these small companies are creating jobs in small communities where cost of living and overhead tends to be lower. These small businesses bring high tech jobs and skilled support role opportunities that pay better than minimum wage to these smaller communities. Here are just a few examples: Aerojet Rocketdyne in Canoga Park, CA (https://www.rocket.com/), Ad Astra Rocket Company in Webster, TX (https://www.adastrarocket.com/), and C U Aerospace in Champaign, IL (https://cuaerospace.com/). 

There are small engineering services companies that provide temporary employees to augment an existing engineering team or perform one-time jobs. There are small companies who provide testing and quality assurance services for rocket engines. New small businesses are starting all the time to service this growing industry. And, there are small companies like SpinLaunch (https://www.spinlaunch.com/) who are creating their own space ventures.

In my opinion, space commercialization is the next great industry for the United States, similar in impact to the industrial revolution. It will not be long before we are mining asteroids for metals and water and taking vacations on space stations in orbit or on the moon. The people who are working for these private and commercial space companies and small companies that service them will be the ones starting new space ventures or training the next generation of workers on the skills necessary to go forward in the space industry. I am confident that there will be a lot more space-related jobs in the near future.

So, yes, billionaires are spending their fortunes on exhilarating rides to space instead of philanthropy. But they are also helping our economy by creating jobs and skills that will be a big part of our economic future.