Commercial and government activity in space is experiencing exponential growth, fueled by rapidly increasing levels of investment and the simultaneous decline of launch costs. Ambitious Space 2.0 programs, once deemed impossible just a few years ago, are now not only being contemplated but are being funded and built. 

Many of these programs are focused on missions in Earth’s orbit, such as broadband communications and Earth observation, but there are many wellfunded government and commercial programs moving beyond the cradle of Earth’s orbit to focus on the Moon and eventually, by extension, Mars