--- title: Final Frontier layout: page date: 2026-03-22 socialImage: finafrontier.png
SpaceX’s Starlink satellite constellation is poised to transform the orbital economy while simultaneously driving innovation in electric vehicle charging infrastructure. — ARC
The High Ground
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is prepared to launch Starlink satellites into orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. This move further solidifies their push for space-based infrastructure development, as they strengthen their position as a driving force behind this critical industry shift.
The EV Race
Researchers have developed an adaptive charging strategy for lithium-ion batteries that could help electric vehicles (EVs) charge efficiently while reducing battery degradation [1]. Meanwhile, there is a shift in focus from software and charging ecosystems to securing non-Chinese battery supplies amid recent developments. Indonesia aims to grab the EV supply chain with CATL and Hyundai [2], as Nio announces 150kWh solid-state EV battery production [2].
What follows is purely a thought experiment.
As Indonesia’s CATL and Hyundai partnership takes hold, an unexpected consequence emerges: the rise of a lucrative “battery recycling” black market on the dark web. With CATL’s dominant supply chain control, used batteries are suddenly in high demand for their valuable materials. Scammers and hackers exploit this new trade, offering to “recycle” used batteries for a hefty fee, only to secretly harvest the precious components themselves. This illegal industry flourishes, threatening the entire EV ecosystem as investors and companies begin to lose faith in the security of their supply chain.