Fly Me to the Moon…and Mars

During his second inaugural address, President Donald Trump vowed to send astronauts to Mars. “We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars,” President Trump said to an applauding crowd, also eliciting an enthusiastic thumbs-up from Elon Musk, the SpaceX CEO and head of the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). As a sci-fi fan who watched shows such as “Star Trek” in my childhood, space exploration has always carried a special charm and mystery for me. Nowadays, however, space is again front and center for many in the United States and around the globe for its key role in defense and the economy at large. Israeli tech companies with relevant applications may want to consider their strategic positioning in the global space domain and timely pursue new opportunities as they evolve.

“US leadership in space is critical to US national security, to US global leadership, to US hard and soft power, and to the security and prosperity of the American people” was a key finding in “Securing Space: A Plan for US Action,” a report recently published by an expert task force co-chaired by retired Space Force Lt. Gen. Nina Armagno and former US Congresswoman Jane Harman (D-Calif.). The report recognizes that space has become both a “strategic vulnerability” and a “strategic imperative” for the US. In 1957, the Soviet Union’s launch of the Sputnik satellite was a wakeup call, spurring the US to assume a dominant role in space. Nearly 70 years later, the US is in danger of losing that privileged position, the report states. The report urges President Trump to call a cross-sector space summit to assess national priorities, including relooking into the controversial possibility of declaring “some key space systems” as “critical infrastructure.”

In December 2019, under the first Trump Administration, the US Space Force was established and became the sixth branch of the US military. In November 2021, Russia conducted a destructive test of a direct-ascent, anti-satellite missile, providing a worrisome glimpse of what combat in the domain could entail. Unrestrained military force in space could undoubtedly lead to catastrophic orbital debris that endangers many space capabilities, with devastating ramifications both for national defense and civil economic prosperity. The US Space Force is currently actively pursuing acquisition reforms to fast-track new capabilities while also reducing costs. Although the Space Force’s focus to date has been on achieving competitive endurance, experts have recently been urging for increased maneuverability in space capabilities to attain the necessary flexibility and adaptability required in an increasingly uncertain operational environment. All present challenges that require innovative technological solutions.

Meanwhile, Jared Isaacman, President Trump’s nominee for National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator, has said that he will advocate for space exploration and inspire children to dream of space travel. Isaacman, a philanthropist, billionaire tech entrepreneur and the first private citizen to perform a spacewalk, is expected to speed up NASA’s current programs while developing new ones as well.

NewSpace is a term used to describe the commercialization of spaceflight and the growing role of private companies in the space industry. It also refers to making space services and systems more accessible and affordable. With the global space economy projected to reach $1 trillion by 2040 according to a Morgan Stanley report, the area of NewSpace is undoubtedly here.

Although still a relatively small part of the tech sector, Israeli space tech companies – which already have developed proven, innovative and AI-driven space technology applications in satellite communications, climate and earth observation – are well positioned to make an impact in this rapidly growing industry.