Recently, Elon Musk initiated a dialogue that elicited a significant response both within the industry and among the general public. He touched upon the prospects for the development of artificial intelligence and its accompanying energy demands, expressing concern that the finiteness of Earth’s resources will eventually prevent the operation of advanced AI systems, and the first signs of this are already apparent. In Musk’s view, space represents the only realistic path to satisfy these future needs. Since the energy consumption of artificial intelligence systems surpasses the capabilities our planet can offer, terrestrial capacity will prove insufficient. Consequently, Musk believes that establishing an extraterrestrial energy base is the inevitable next stage of development. Moreover, the foundation for this is already being laid. US companies, Rocket Lab and AST SpaceMobile, are already beginning to establish the basis for such infrastructure and form the so-called “orbital economy.” Rocket Lab is focused on providing logistics for orbital infrastructure, while AST SpaceMobile is working on improving satellite communication for direct connection to mobile devices. These endeavors serve as the starting point for an era where energy supply and communication will be based outside of Earth. Musk’s concept marks a paradigm shift in how we construct our technological systems. Moving energy production into space will radically transform the fields of AI, communication, and space exploration. This, in turn, makes the activities of firms like Rocket Lab and ASTS central to defining the trajectory of this new vector of development.
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