The Space Review: Democratizing space exploration with new technologies

Open source software, whose source code anyone can peruse, modify and contribute to, allows NewSpace industries to engage directly with the public through hands-on, widely accessible opportunities that help develop and improve technology.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a big proponent of these open access projects, finding that they build online and in-real-life communities and help shape the future of NewSpace tech.

With these inclusive initiatives, the future of space technology can more efficiently reach everyday people, through GPS satellites that power apps on our smartphones to space tourism that will allow people to experience the Overview Effect. Whether or not these people actually go to space, these open source platforms are a fundamental element to spur research, development and consumer-friendly space transport and products.

Open source projects are becoming such useful resources for both citizens and company running it that NASA introduced its own open source platform in 2018, hoping to source ideas for future spacecraft from anyone throughout the world. One example is the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Open Source Rover, which looks like the Mars Rover but acts as a teaching tool.