What does the future hold for us “making it” – literally – in outer space? The emergence of an in-space economy and marketplace, enabled by platforms such as space stations, has long been envisioned, studied, debated, and discussed. From reports on the potential utilization of the then-proposed Space Station Freedom, to recent market analysis of privately owned and operated stations, the space community and industries beyond have considered many possibilities for profitable in-space applications.

A “killer app” remains to be found, and questions have lingered about the use, to-date, of the International Space Station as a market catalyst. But, with cargo, crew, and now private astronaut missions routinely flying to station, an exciting new era of robust space utilization is upon us.

And, as NASA looks toward a future where it is just one of many users of private stations, a vibrant new ecosystem of commercial in-space habitats is developing. The owners, operators, and users of these stations are placing their bets that a range of in-space applications – from tourism and pharmaceuticals, to manufacturing and materials science, and beyond – will create the marketplace needed for a sustainable future in orbit.

Join the Beyond Earth Institute and expert guests – including representatives of different possible market segments for in-space habitats – on Thursday, March 23, from 1 – 2:30 pm (ET) for a lively discussion on the near- and long-term market potential for commercial space stations. What might the economic growth curve look like for commercial stations? What applications are most likely to create the first profits for habitat operators and users? Which might be the most sustainable? How could international interest factor into a station-derived economy, both in the near future and further out? And, importantly, how will the emergent markets enabled by commercial space stations play into the future of humanity’s life and work in the solar system? 

Check out our sponsor: The ISS National Laboratory!