Emerging technologies play an important role in catalyzing innovation within the space industry. According to projections, the global space industry is likely to reach $1 trillion by 2030 and account for more than 1.5 million jobs in the future. An increasing amount of the growth in the global space industry can be attributed to innovative technologies, and with each innovation, costs are being lowered and barriers are being reduced encouraging more investment in space.
Cloud computing helps the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) process, store, and analyze troves of data from satellites. Augmented and virtual reality exercises enable training for U.S. Space Force guardians. And 3-D printing significantly reduces launch costs and increases sustainability in space. While these technologies play a key role in supporting the space industry, perhaps no innovation holds as much potential to advance global space efforts and extend human activity into deep space as artificial intelligence (AI).
As a testament to AI’s revolutionary impact, credible estimates of its future global economic benefits range from $14 trillion to $25 trillion. Although the integration of AI in space is still developing, the geopolitical considerations are vast. Key global players have recognized the importance of this transformative technology and are investing heavily in an AI-enabled future in space. In August, the first Chinese satellite launched with AI at its core, allowing for real-time observation and on-board data processing rather than transmitting data to ground control for analysis. In September, India’s landmark Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander used AI-powered sensors to secure touchdown on the surface of the Moon and navigate the lunar topography.
If the U.S. is interested in securing its future as a global leader in space, it is important for both industry and government to recognize the need for investment in infrastructure that can support an AI-enabled future. American ingenuity has already provided glimpses of what the future holds. Companies are developing AI tools that can bolster space situational awareness capabilities and automate tasks like satellite positioning and maintenance. They are also using AI to automate spaceflight operations, ensuring safer and more secure launching and docking procedures for missions in space. Some companies are using the power of AI for resource optimization in space. The list goes on. Space has always been an important industry for helping emergent technology realize its full potential, and AI is just the next evolution.
In order to harness AI’s vast potential, approaches to policymaking must support innovation while appropriately managing risk. As the space industry’s global policy voice, ITI’s Space Enterprise Council stands ready to help policymakers realize the promise AI holds in space.
Our membership is comprised of some of the most innovative companies in the space industry, and we’ve been using that expertise to help drive the global space conversation with an understanding that emerging technology is an engine for change in the space industry. And as the space and AI markets converge, there is an opportunity for the U.S. to not only innovate but also create jobs and build entirely new economies in space.
Over the years, ITI has published actionable recommendations for AI governance, researched and refined by AI experts. ITI’s Global AI Policy Recommendations serve as a roadmap for policymakers to advance and deploy responsible AI technologies across a multitude of industries. While AI has unique implications for each industry, these particular principles can be a useful tool in securing the United States’ future as a global leader in space:
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Innovation & Investment: Foster an innovation-friendly environment that incentivizes industry to explore investments in AI-enabled technologies, including the necessary development of a skilled and diverse next-generation workforce equipped with the real-world experiences and tools needed to thrive in an AI-enabled space economy.
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Security and Privacy of AI Systems: Incorporate AI systems into threat modeling and security risk management, encourage the use of global security standards, invest in security innovation to counter adversarial AI, and develop and support guidance that protects privacy and promotes the ethical use of data.
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Targeted, Risk-Based Approach to Regulation: Align around common parameters and consider the unique application of AI in the space domain, taking a risk-based, context-specific approach to its governance, and evaluating existing laws and regulations in order to determine whether there are gaps requiring incremental new rules for AI.
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Global Engagement: Global cooperation is integral to the future of this nascent space domain. Maintaining interoperability across borders by engaging in ongoing dialogue, ensuring the protected free flow of data across borders, and supporting global, voluntary, industry-led standards is necessary for a healthy space ecosystem.
Nowhere is the ‘art of the possible’ more profound than in the emerging use of AI within the space community. Together, government and industry can partner and make certain space is a central part of that development.
About Space Enterprise Council: The Space Enterprise Council is the leading voice for global space policy and advocacy, promoting space cooperation, and the intersection of space, emerging technology, data, and cybersecurity across commercial, civil, and national security sectors. It is an affiliate membership program of the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI).