New Space Economy: Factories in the Earth Orbit | Calista Fischer | TEDxUZH

Quick Overview

The presentation advocates for the development of a robust "New Space Economy" in Switzerland, emphasizing that space activities like satellite manufacturing and data utilization are already real, valued at 1.8 billion USD annually, and require governmental support to foster growth in areas like biotechnology, materials science, and developing reusable space transport systems like Starship.

Key Points: The New Space Economy in Switzerland is currently valued at approximately 1.8 billion USD annually, demonstrating existing activity. The speaker suggests that Switzerland should foster growth in the New Space Economy to support complex activities like protein crystallization and manufacturing in orbit. The development of reusable systems like SpaceX's Starship, capable of carrying 150 tons to LEO at a predicted cost of $100-$200 per kg, is a game-changer for accessibility. The speaker highlights the need to remove gravity limitations for certain experiments (like growing protein crystals) which require microgravity environments. Switzerland is positioned as a potential European hub for space activities, leveraging its existing high-tech infrastructure, skilled workforce, and collaborations (like with Space Florida). The presentation contrasts past state-driven space efforts (like the ISS, which lacks a clear business case) with the emerging private sector-driven space economy. The speaker mentions that the Swiss government and ESA must support the ecosystem by providing infrastructure, funding, and regulatory frameworks.

Context: Calista Fischer, PhD, presents at a TEDx event discussing the burgeoning "New Space Economy" and Switzerland's role within it. The talk contrasts historical, state-funded space exploration, exemplified by the International Space Station (ISS), with the current shift towards commercial, private sector involvement, particularly referencing SpaceX's Starship as a disruptive technology.

Detailed Analysis

The speaker opens by expressing gratitude and setting the stage for her goal: activating the space virus in the audience regarding the New Space Economy. She immediately transitions to showing the World Economic Forum logo, signaling that space is now a mainstream economic topic, not just a governmental dream. She cites the current Swiss space economy value at $1.8 billion USD annually, noting that this value is not just in the minds of dreamers but is a reality involving satellite communication, GPS, and logistics. She then introduces the physics challenge of gravity, using the classic image of a falling apple to illustrate that experiments requiring microgravity, like growing protein crystals for medicine, cannot be performed on Earth. She contrasts the state-driven, expensive International Space Station (ISS) with the potential of the private sector, exemplified by SpaceX's Starship, which promises to drastically lower launch costs to $100–$200 per kg to LEO, making space access economically viable. The speaker then shifts focus to Switzerland, presenting it as a potential European hub for this new economy, referencing the "Space Valley Switzerland" concept which includes universities, clean rooms, and infrastructure like military airfields that can be adapted. She concludes by stating that the goal is to foster an ecosystem where Swiss entities can participate in this growing space industry, especially in areas like biotechnology and advanced manufacturing in orbit, which require microgravity conditions that are currently hard to achieve on Earth.