The final frontier

“Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilisations; to boldly go where no man has gone before”.

The above introduction to the famed Star Trek TV serial in the steely contralto voice of Captain James Kirk (played by actor William Shatner) captures the essence of the adventure and the mystery associated with the voyages of Starship Enterprise. What appeared as science fiction to space aficionados then, is coming to pass as a reality in this space age, driven by the mind-boggling advances in space science.

So astounding is the march of space technology that the science fiction of teleportation might become a reality soon. The advances in blockchain, AI, material science and nano-technology are offering a bewildering array of possibilities for scientists and urban developers. Space is emerging as one of the most important domains where several states interact and jockey for greater influence over natural and human-created resources.

The intersection of human endurance, space science and innovation is unlocking unprecedented possibilities for humanity. Space science has catalysed the development of cutting-edge technologies at the forefront of scientific advancement, such as nanotechnology, blockchain, biotechnology, materials science, 3D printing, and solar propulsion. These advancements are driving down the costs and reducing the size of space-launched satellites, enabling even developing countries to benefit from these technological breakthroughs for their own space programmes.

According to a Brookings research study by Landry Signe and Hanna Dooley, space science is propelling humanity into the fourth industrial revolution by enabling the creation of easily manufacturable engineering products, fibre optic cables, and robust composite materials like self-repairing carbon nanotubes. These innovations are reshaping industries far beyond the realm of space exploration.

A report by the National Library of Medicine, authored by Luisa Corrado and colleagues, highlights the economic benefits of public investment in space programs. For example, the substantial US public-sector spending on space exploration during the 1960s and 1970s boosted the country’s GDP by 2.9 per cent. In contrast, reduced investment in the 1980s corresponded with a lower GDP growth of 0.9 per cent. Today, the US and China – the two biggest spenders on space exploration – are also the world’s largest economies. A revival of the high public-sector spending levels of the 1960s is projected to contribute approximately $3 billion in additional demand to the US economy.

Space technology spin-offs have delivered immeasurable benefits to humanity, including GPS, laptops, telemedicine, solar-powered refrigerators, implantable heart monitors, cancer therapies, water purification systems, advanced computing technologies, global search-and-rescue systems, and medical imaging diagnostics.

There is an increasing trend towards private sector investments and commercialisation of space. In the US, the leading space development trend is about public-private research and development partnerships (PPRDP) which leverages public-sector intellectual and financial capital for the private sector that takes the lead in space ventures. Examples other than Elon Musk’s Space X are Blue Origin and Virgin which are leading space tourism and communications. Private sector investment in space has increased from $110 billion to $357 billion between 2005 and 2020 which now includes new players like Satellogic (Argentina) and ICEYE (Finland).

There are breathtaking advancements in space promising socio-economic spinoffs to mankind from the space mining of cobalt and plutonium, the growing of crops in space, and the establishment of ‘solar factories’ either on planets like Mars or on an orbital spacecraft to beam solar power to earth. The above would resolve the energy and power crisis of fossil fuel-starved developing countries. Other space technology spinoffs in human health include microgravity experiments to yield valuable research for remote health care (telemedicine, tele-epidemiology), disease monitoring (Ebola and Covid 19 Virus Mapping), and medical diagnostics.

Space technology might be the right antidote to the Malthusian spectre of climate-driven food and water scarcity. The real-time monitoring of glacial melting, ocean behaviour, forest monitoring, environmental pollution, water resource development, and disaster relief are the socio-economic dividends accruing out of space capabilities. For a country like Pakistan, the space programme promises benefits in areas like broadband connectivity, flood control, climate mitigation & adaptation, oil & mineral prospection, and agriculture. The best spinoff for Pakistan would be an improvement in STEM sciences and the availability of a technologically competent and internationally competitive workforce.

Pakistan needs more investment in space science and its space programme. It needs to get into the big league of $100 million/year space spending in the world without which the objective of sending an astronaut to the moon and launching its own spacecraft by 2035, as expressed by Minister of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, might remain a pipe dream. Pakistan has taken some good steps in the shape of satellite launches like iCube Qamar(2024), Communication Satellite MM1 (2024), and EO 1 (2025). Getting from design indigenisation to component indigenisation will take some time but the future is promising, provided the government continues supporting the space programme.

There is a need to introduce PPRDP programmes in Pakistan on the US model, encouraging the private sector to take initiative and – much like the Star Trek crew – venture into territory where no entrepreneur has ventured before. Internationally also, the creation of property rights to improve space inclusivity is vital. The renegotiation of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 to introduce space property rights and forge a common space outlook is essential for international space collaboration. The Russian withdrawal from the International Space Station in 2024 might encourage space isolationism which is detrimental to global compact on space science and development.

Pakistan needs to carefully negotiate international prejudices like technology sanctions and MTCR discrimination to pursue its space program.