NASA’s acting administrator Sean Duffy likened the iPhone to the space economy and the US’ moon mission. Duffy said in a recent podcast with the space agency, “…it’s kind of like the iPhone at the start of the iPhone…”
Duffy explained that no one could have envisioned years ago how the iPhone, today, would change one’s life. Likewise, no one could have foreseen 20 years ago the US’s upcoming moon mission and what happened in low Earth orbit.
In the September 5 episode of ‘Houston We Have a Podcast’, Duffy said: “…15, 20 years ago, no one could have envisioned the kind of economy that you would have in space, with the space economy…”
“It’s kind of like the iPhone at the start of the iPhone, like, no one understood how that was going to change your life, that you would get your directions, and you have social media, and you would bank, and you like- all of this stuff happens on your phone. Like, we didn’t realize what tool this would be,” Duffy said.
Duffy, who is also the US’ Transportation Secretary, said he believes “what happened in low Earth orbit, in the space economy, is, I don’t think anyone could have foreseen this 20 years ago.”
Duffy said the same kind of revolution of industry is going to take place when the US goes to the Moon.
“In the same way, with what’s going to happen when we go to the Moon, the same kind of revolution of industry is going to take place as well, which is really exciting,” he said.
“And I want that to be American innovators, American companies, American manufacturers, American scientists. I want it to be led by our team. I don’t want it to be led by another country, in some far off place, their team,” Duffy said.
WATCH Sean Duffy’s podcast here
US-Russia cooperation in space: ‘Bright spot’ is…
Duffy also highlighted the rare cooperation between the US and Russia in the field of space, while acknowledging the major differences between the two countries over the Ukraine war.
Duffy said, “The cooperation between the US and Russia is critical as you bring the space station out of orbit.” He said, “…it’s a bright spot, the cooperation that our two great countries have together in space.”
“And I think we can build on that, and we should build on it,” Duffy said, expressing hope that “again, we’re going to partner in the de-orbiting of the space station.”
“I think that’s critical, but also sending clear signals and resources that we need an alternative from our private partners,” he said.
Notably, NASA is working to enable and seamlessly transition to commercially owned and operated platforms in low Earth orbit as the operational life of the International Space Station comes to an end in 2030.
“…when the space station comes, it comes down in 2030 we have planned, well, to make sure we have the next iteration up and ready to go,” Duffy said.
$4 billion moon mission not sustainable?
Sean Duffy said in the posdcast that if Artemis I, Artemis II, and Artemis III are all $4 billion a launch…”At $4 billion a launch, you don’t have a Moon program.”
“It just, I don’t think that exists. We have to bring the price down. And so I have to think about and work with members of Congress.”
He further asked, “What does Artemis IV, V, and VI look like? But to spend that much money in thinking about what we have to do to have a sustained presence, I think becomes very, very challenging.”
Duffy said, “For the private sector, again, you can, you can have a satellite and get it into space for, you know, a million, little over a million dollars like that was unheard of 20 years ago. What’s happening to drive the price down of these, of of these vehicles.
“That’s what we have to think about, because the $4 billion figure just is too massive to think we can be sustainable at that number, he added.
NASA’s Artemis II is targeted for no later than April 2026. The agency is targeting the Moon’s South Pole for its Artemis missions.
Four astronauts will venture around the Moon on Artemis II, the first crewed mission on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence at the Moon for science and exploration through Artemis.
The 10-day flight will test NASA’s foundational human deep space exploration capabilities, the SLS rocket, Orion spacecraft, for the first time with astronauts.
