In the race to Net Zero, Inmarsat has launched the first report of its kind quantifying the decarbonisation potential of satellite-enabled technology.
Insight | What on Earth is the value of space?
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Download nowNow the full report is available to download. Taking in 20,000 respondents across 11 countries, it provides a comprehensive snapshot of global attitudes to space. The report also features some fascinating contributions from renowned figures in the sector. From the former astronaut and commander of the International Space Station, Scott Kelly – to the Director General of the European Space Agency, Dr. Josef Aschbacher.
The research findings mark a real wake-up call for the space industry. It’s clear that people have a low understanding of the breadth and richness of the work being done in space today. Perhaps because the technology deployed is essentially invisible, people do not appear to understand the role space is already playing in their everyday lives, nor its potential to deliver a brighter future for our planet.
Among the many questions addressed in the report, people were asked what they associate with space. The findings show 21% of people associate space with ‘aliens’, 14% with ‘science fiction’ and 10% with ‘Star Wars’ – compared with just 8% for ‘communications & connectivity’ and 3% for ‘broadcasting & television’. This suggests that perceptions are being shaped more by popular culture – and less by the true role space plays in today’s economy.
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The report shows younger people (18–24) are more likely to link billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk with space than 55–64-year-olds. Perhaps this is because people aged 55+ remember the Space Race, NASA’s shuttle programme and all the wonder attached to space at that time. Whereas 18-24-year-olds have grown up associating technological innovation with the internet and are more likely to follow billionaires like Musk and Bezos on social media.
“The lack of awareness on communications satellites surprises me. 29% of respondents said they don’t view them as essential. Plainly they don’t realise how the voice and data systems they rely on actually operate.”
The research highlights a small core of people globally who are aware of the potential for space to answer many of the world’s challenges. For example, 7% of respondents said that space can alleviate poverty. While another 7% thought space can support the goal of producing enough food to feed our growing population. 11% imagined space will have a role in researching and finding cures for diseases like cancer.
People seem to be pinning their hopes on space to solve many of our problems here on Earth. But that optimism doesn’t appear to be based on a strong understanding of the role that space can and is already playing in areas such as scientific research and exploration.
The report demonstrates that people are nervous about what could happen in space – some even feel terrified. Globally, people consider these as the three biggest concerns about the future of space.
Clearly people see space junk as the number one threat. They worry that space will eventually be subject to the same pollution and exploitation that has occurred on Earth – with drastic consequences for both.
These worries are well founded. As Inmarsat’s CEO, Rajeev Suri, explains in his introduction to the report, for space to support sustainability on Earth there needs to be sustainable development in space. The myriad of low Earth orbit mega-constellations now being built present an opportunity but without proper oversight, they will create a massive amount of space debris. Not to mention the issue of orbital congestion or even the possibility of damaging the Earth’s atmosphere. Such risks must be properly understood and addressed through robust and enforceable regulation.
“We chose to commission this report because we believe space needs to occupy a far greater share of the public consciousness. Both the magnificent possibilities and the potential risks.”
Download the full report to discover more of the global demographic and cultural differences around space, the differing perceptions between countries, as well as business leaders versus the general public. And more importantly, understand how the data convincingly proves the following conclusions:
These insights are just a small fraction of the information available in the research. To explore the full story, download the comprehensive report.
