How to Jump Start a Space-Based Economy

What’s the Latest Development?

By combining financial and technological resources, America’s largest defense, energy and technology companies could create the first Space Joint Stock Company, creating massive cash flows while working to supply the world’s clean energy needs. Space strategist and author, Trevor Brown says a collection of large companies should work to build a seed fund worth $100 billion. “The financial industry may even find that they would like to make much of the securities convertible so as to provide themselves with the opportunity to take equity stakes when the Joint Stock Company becomes profitable.”

What’s the Big Idea?

With substantial financial and technological resources, companies could begin working to build a space-based solar power infrastructure. Brown envisions solar balloons several kilometers in diameters which would collect the sun’s energy and then beam it to Earth using microwaves or lasers. In time, Brown estimates that this source of energy could achieve 50% of global market share, generating revenues of $3.5 trillion. Reinvesting that money in further space ventures could help open up more extraterrestrial resources, providing Earth with a way of raising living standards everywhere without suffering terrible environmental consequences. 

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