While it may not be spending much money on rockets anymore, NASA has invested in its own innovation incubator program called SpaceApps which aims to open up its platform of sensors to developers.
The idea is to open source technological progress without having to drive all of the investment itself. In order to do that, the organization is releasing access to over 200 data points and giving developers access to space experts across the world for the competition.
It is truly a global effort, with teams from all over the world coming together to produce apps related to life in space. The event series:
embraces collaborative problem solving with a goal of producing relevant open-source solutions to address global needs applicable to both life on Earth and life in space.
The global event is organized around specific challenges related to the Earth, Outer Space, Humans and Robotics.
Of course, space travel is an emerging category in the travel industry. It has yet to take off, quite literally, but should soon be propelled by advances in spacecraft technology. The nascent space tourism segment should be one of the fastest growing segments in travel in the next decade, especially as costs drop and appetite for adventure rises.
While this series is not specifically focused on travel, all technologies related to existing in space — whether theoretical or for real applications with astronauts — have the potential to broaden and deepen interest in the category while also encouraging further investment towards growing the segment.
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