The New Space Economy and Distributive Implications on Earth

Abstract The new space economy (NSE) presents thorny questions that were not addressed in the handbook as they were outside the foundational scope of delineating the boundaries of an evolving ecosystem. However, as the NSE consolidates into a commercialized techno-economic system, many of the unrealized aspirations and ambitions for space colonization and resource extraction will become a reality as the distributional dimension at the national and global levels will take on greater significance. Using a political economy framework, this chapter reflects on two strands of distributive implications to encourage future scholarly and policy research. The first concerns intra-national equity issues associated with a top-heavy industry structure and the exercise of political power by a handful of very large firms in the US where the NSE is the most developed. The second explores global equity and ethical dilemmas arising from orbital congestion and possible impact of space mining on resource-dependent countries in the Global South.