We cannot change the speed of light, but we can use advancing technology to change the way people are educated and trained, the way teams are run and communicated.Image: Shutterstock

ILooking back even just 100 years, how many wars and global conflicts could have been avoided if world leaders could answer the phone and be instantly connected? World Wars and World War II, Cold War, Red China, and many more.

Over the last century, people have devoted their lives to improving the quality and speed of communication. This allows you and me to communicate instantly with people all over the world. Prompt communication allowed us to avoid disputes and disseminate important information around the world.

Space breaks it.

Communication in the space sector is not very fast. The Moon has a 1.25 second delay, Mars has a 5 minute delay, and the asteroid belt has a 12 minute delay. Imagine his 1.25 second lag on the steering wheel. It could be the difference between life and death. The same is true in space.

One example is Apollo 13. Not only was communication lost on the far side of the moon, but they were in serious danger while dealing with this communication delay. Thankfully, the Apollo 13 crew completed their mission and returned safely to Earth, but that’s not always the case. You might think, “That was him in 1970, isn’t he now?” yes and no. Today’s technology is far more advanced than his 1970s technology and is still improving today, but the speed at which we can communicate through space hasn’t changed much.

Communication delays endanger space crews and make it difficult to complete certain tasks in space. We cannot change the speed of light, but we can use advancing technology to change the way people are educated and trained, the way teams are run and communicated.

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vertical and horizontal space

Today, space is a $365 billion to $424 billion industry. An extensive report from Citigroup predicts that by 2040 it will be a more than $2 trillion industry. Sustaining this kind of growth requires many changes. We are already witnessing a dramatic shift from a government-dominated space economy to a commercial-dominated space economy.according to

Commercial space accounted for over 80% of the space economy in 2020, according to the Space Foundation’s “The Space Report 2021 Q2.”

As the vertical of space continues to grow and evolve, it is also becoming horizontal, which means it will affect many other industries.The space industry will attract other industries and technologies. For as the universe moves forward, demands from those industries are made and they respond to that.

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Space will power AI, autonomy, robotics, and advanced manufacturing. Relativity Space is actively working to send robots with advanced manufacturing capabilities to Mars. They found it feasible to 3D print massive concrete structures using regolith on Mars and use robots to bolt metal and plastic parts together. Using these techniques could effectively create entire cities before the first astronauts land on Mars. This increases value and efficiency without compromising the health and safety of people working in space. After all, we’ve seen how the Matt Damon alternative works.

When thinking about a career in space, we need to think beyond astronauts, engineers, technicians and physicists. The space economy has expanded to include his three career categories:

• space workforce It includes people working in space, such as astronauts, welders, technicians, media and communications personnel, scientists, and engineers.
• space workforce Includes software developers, mission control, satellite engineers, scientists, and others who work in the space industry but have not been to space.
• general labor force It includes people from many other industries that support or are affected by the space economy. Cybersecurity, healthcare, engineering, manufacturing, energy, hospitality, construction, and more.

All current and future participants in these three categories must be inspired, educated, enlightened and, of course, delighted if we are to achieve sustainable interplanetary success, prosperity and equity.

You can’t change the speed of light, but you can prepare the cosmic workforce

Currently, you need at least a Bachelor’s degree in STEM to ride a satellite console. International Space Station (ISS) support or rover support requires a STEM graduate degree. It’s not a sustainable model. Over the next few years, he will go from training 10 people every 2-3 years to hundreds or thousands each year.Also Read: A Lonely Job of Picking the Best Astrophotographs of the Universe

Leveraging advanced technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) is key to achieving this. AR and VR will allow people to go into space without leaving the Earth’s atmosphere. Simulations help people understand their experiences in space, so they are the benchmark for creating new technologies and supporting people working in space. It’s like intercultural communication, where you can gain understanding beyond the globe. These technologies will also be used to train employees working in space using simulations in the Metaverse.

But space isn’t all about technology. I need a human. In other words, leaders and teams must operate differently. Teams need to work more autonomously so that decisions can be made faster. You can’t afford to waste time on paperwork when communication delays are already occurring. Teams will also have to work more cohesively, which will require a global mindset and cross-cultural skills. Additionally, people need to be cross-trained with a deep and broad understanding of multiple disciplines. That’s why Thunderbird is at the forefront of interplanetary innovation and education.

Take advantage of Thunderbird features

Thunderbird continues to be a leader in global business, leadership and management education. Global thinking and cross-cultural communication are the bread and butter of Thunderbird. Beyond that, Thunderbird integrates innovation into everything it does. A new state-of-the-art global headquarters allows students to interact and collaborate on a global scale in a multidimensional, immersive learning space. They are doing many amazing things with the technology of the 4th Industrial Revolution.ALSO LISTEN: Virgin Galactic’s Sirisha Bandla on Potential Collaboration with Indian Space Tech Startup

For example, Glendale recently hosted Super Bowl LVII, and Thunderbird teamed up with the City of Phoenix to showcase an immersive, technology-driven experience called “Phoenix: The Global City of the Future.” My colleague Travis Cloyd is a Thunderbird Global Futurist and Senior Fellow, and his CEO of WorldwideXR (WXR), who led the creation of his AR-powered virtual scavenger hunt around downtown Phoenix. Did. “Thunderbird equals innovation,” Cloyd said in a recent conversation. “Student and faculty diversity reflects the technology diversity of our digital and physical campuses, including volumetric technology, AI, the metaverse, hardware and software testing, VR, media players, and AR experiences. There are many paths to take.” This intersection of global business education and advanced technology offers a unique experience for those pursuing careers in the space economy.Also Read: Is the Metaverse Taking Us One Step Closer to Immortality?

As technology continues to advance and the space economy evolves, space will become more accessible to more and more people through AR and VR simulations, video games, space travel, and more. I think eventually all industries will be affected or it will affect the space economy. It is very important to keep people educated and prepared for the interplanetary future.

[This article has been reproduced with permission from Knowledge Network, the online thought leadership platform for Thunderbird School of Global Management https://thunderbird.asu.edu/knowledge-network/]