Tracking space debris is a growing business

[shoto_io]

This seems to be a similar trend like VC-backed "Deep Sea" startups exploring the unchartered oceans floor. Does anyone know how these space and marine startups are planning to make money?

[burkaman]

> LeoLabs sells data to satellite operators, space agencies, America’s armed forces and insurers keen to calculate better actuarial tables for spacecraft.

> Customers include insurers keen to see if policyholders fly their satellites as safely as they claim to.

> Northstar, for example, plans to charge annual subscriptions of between $10m and $100m.

> Naturally, this orbital-tracking technology has military value as well.

I think most of these companies are assuming they can get big government contracts once this becomes a big enough problem. Lockheed Martin has Space Fence (https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/products/space-fence.ht...) which was presumably funded by a government contract

[paxys]

For space at least I think the question is as broad as "how will an internet company make money."

There are limitless applications in satellite launch and operation, debris tracking, asteroid mining, defense, research contracts, tourism.

[Torwald]

I don't know any of their plans.

- With private enterprise in space, you will be able to sell such data to insurance companies, maybe.

- You can sell the data to governments who want to have it for any form of control reasons.

- Science can use that data for exploration, this could potentially lead to breakthroughs, which in turn could lead to markets whose players depend on your data. Or just science labs are buying your data.

[toomuchtodo]

Are you aware of the Seabed 2030 effort? I believe it’s entirely not for profit.

https://seabed2030.org/

[irateswami]

I would bet any amount of money that it's a private space debris tracking conglomerate that discovers a widowmaker asteroid coming at us...

...and they make us subscribe to a rundle for the rest of our lives to keep it from hitting us.

"Earth, and life on it." - brought to you by Facebook, probably

[JshWright]

The sort of radar used to track debris in Earth orbit isn't really that useful for detecting Earth crossing asteroids.

[pshc]

Surely the US or China would immediately seize control of any organization that crucial to national security

[visviva]

https://archive.is/uL5Sb

[oblak]

Alright, any companies that are likely to go public and make some money?

[jgwil2]

Related discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28523946

[quantified]

Side effect, intended or not, will be these companies encouraging junk.

[Rebelgecko]

A side effect we've already seen is that these companies tend to be a bit more alarmist about conjunctions that are incredibly unlikely. I suppose it's good marketing.

[jobigoud]

I was thinking about this as well. A bit like the rumors that some viruses are created or spread by anti-virus companies.