Opinion: A Golden Era for Space Science — If We Act
The Promise of a New Era in Space Exploration
America stands at the threshold of a golden age in celestial science. However, this opportunity will be lost if decisive action is not taken. The groundwork for this era has already been laid. More than a decade ago, after the retirement of the space shuttle, NASA made a bold and necessary decision: instead of developing its own rockets, it opted to purchase launch services from the commercial sector. This strategic move, along with early funding and contracts, gave rise to a thriving American commercial launch industry capable of meeting even the most demanding government and commercial needs.
Today, academic institutions are taking on ambitious research that was once the domain of government laboratories. At the same time, private space companies are pushing the boundaries of new commercial applications in low Earth orbit, on the Moon, and even on Mars. This ecosystem—comprising government, commercial, and academic entities—is primed to produce breakthroughs that are currently beyond our imagination.
However, none of this is guaranteed. NASA is stretched thin, attempting to meet increasingly broad requirements from Congress and other stakeholders with stagnant or declining funding. The outcome is predictable: delays, cost overruns, and architectures designed for an outdated era. Decadal science missions are moving toward generational timelines. More than half of American taxpayers were not alive the last time humans ventured beyond low Earth orbit. As a result, they are increasingly disconnected from the benefits of these programs and skeptical of their value. This has created a fragile system that struggles to adapt.
Meanwhile, we are in a race. China has clearly outlined its lunar ambitions. The Artemis coalition faces a real threat of losing the competition to establish a permanent presence on the Moon. If left unaddressed, I believe we will see program cancellations, a loss of political will, and a painful retreat from American leadership in space. That is not a future I am willing to accept.
A Path Forward Requires Discipline
The solution requires discipline. NASA must invest its next best dollar in unprecedented challenges—those that demand truly whole-of-nation efforts. This includes establishing a permanent settlement on the Moon, winning the race to Mars, developing nuclear propulsion, and undertaking complex long-term exploratory science missions. These are missions that only NASA can lead. Everything else should be entrusted to partners who can deliver faster and more affordably.
A decade ago, NASA reimagined how America reaches orbit. Now, it’s time to reimagine how we conduct planetary science. The agency should leverage industry, academia, and philanthropy to deliver cost-effective solutions that dramatically shorten the time to discovery. Where commercial markets exist, let them function. Where philanthropic capital can replace or augment taxpayer dollars, let it multiply scientific returns.
I have spent decades in technology watching public-private partnerships transform entire industries. From the commercialization of GPS to the Apollo program’s creation of the first semiconductor markets, these partnerships have been the catalyst for humanity’s greatest achievements. Governments have stewarded long-term priorities while allowing markets to build low-cost, repeatable systems by leveraging their early investments and technological breakthroughs. Those of us who have benefited from these investments have a responsibility to reinvest in the next generation of discovery.
Building a Resilient Framework for Celestial Science
In its next phase, NASA should establish a resilient framework for scalable public-private science aligned with national objectives. Then, it should marshal philanthropic funding and resources to execute where the government cannot or should not. This framework for celestial science should include shared services and infrastructure that could be used for a variety of missions, including novel deep space communications and relay networks to reduce pressure on the Deep Space Network and enable both public and private missions to the Moon and Mars.
Other priorities primed for commercial acceleration include privately funded orbiters to Mars and beyond, as well as privately funded telescopes in exotic orbits to help us discover and observe new worlds and the growing universe.
Private science investment will bring a commercial mindset: scale faster, take more risks, drive down costs. Commercial ventures will pursue novel concepts and models for science and academic institutions. Governments can then capitalize on their success or learn from their failures. In return, governments and businesses can procure the data and services provided by these private missions, incentivizing continued efforts. For missions where services or data have no foreseeable market, government will need to continue to shoulder the costs of development.
The Vision of NASA as a Force Multiplier
The vision of NASA as a force multiplier rather than the sole arbiter for science is correct. It means making hard choices. It means transitioning to a sustainable architecture that leverages the maturity of today’s space economy.
The scientific, technological, and academic communities have much to give and much to gain. The golden age of celestial science is within reach. The question is whether we’ll choose to build it.
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