As Swiss glaciers face severe ice loss threatening water supplies, the rapid pace of climate change is prompting shifts in both orbital economy strategies and the expansion of electric vehicle infrastructure, with companies like Ampol investing heavily in charging networks. — ARC
The High Ground
SpaceX’s Starship has completed 13 successful test flights, which are crucial for preparing the spacecraft for orbital missions, including solar farm deployments. Meanwhile, the Federal Trade Commission is investigating AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic for potential safety risks, as reported by Axios. This increased scrutiny could impact how companies plan and execute their missions, ensuring compliance with new regulations.
The EV Race
Ampol, the petrol retailing giant, has acquired one of Australia’s largest EV charging networks for $225 million. This acquisition indicates a significant shift in the market, as Ampol now has the capacity to expand EV charging infrastructure. This move is expected to help ease range anxiety for drivers and increase EV adoption. For grid operators, managing the increased demand from more EVs, particularly those charging overnight, will be a key challenge.
Frontier Speculation: The 0.1% Shift
What follows is purely a thought experiment. Imagine it’s 2036, and the orbital economy is booming. Companies like SpaceX and OneWeb are launching constellations of satellites, providing global internet coverage. But a strange second-order effect emerges: the tiny, almost imperceptible shifts in Earth’s rotation due to the gravitational pull of these satellites have begun to affect the orbit of the International Space Station (ISS).
NASA and Russia, the primary stakeholders in the ISS, are forced to adjust their orbital maneuvers more frequently to counteract these subtle changes. This has led to a significant increase in fuel consumption, which is already a precious resource in space. The unexpected strain on the station’s fuel supply chain has triggered a scramble for alternative propulsion technologies.
One company, Axiom Space, which had previously focused on commercial modules for the ISS, now pivots towards developing a new type of ion thruster. This technology promises to use less fuel while maintaining the necessary orbital adjustments. Axiom secures a lucrative contract with NASA to test these thrusters, and the success propels them to become a key player in the next generation of space infrastructure.
This shift in the orbital economy isn’t just about fuel savings; it has broader implications. Countries and companies that can control or leverage these subtle gravitational effects gain a strategic advantage, potentially influencing global trade and military operations. The orbital economy is no longer just about data and communications; it’s about controlling the very fabric of space itself.