We are now accepting applications for Summer 2023.
The Future of the Space Economy
Modality:
Online
Session:
III. August 7–11, 2023
Day & Time:
Monday–Friday, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 1:00–3:00 p.m. (EST)
Instructor(s):
George Pullen, Samson Williams
Course Description
Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and other leading investment firms have predicted that the space economy will be worth trillions of dollars within the next few decades. In this course we explore a number of key issues having to do with the space industry and the emerging space economy with the intention of preparing participants to be leaders in those fields.
Potential topics to be covered include:
- How private businesses are changing the new space race
- Why space commercialization will lead to a Fifth Industrial Revolution
- What old and new financial models are enabling the growth of space technology
- The role of NASA, the Space Force, NOAA, and other government agencies
- Should we be investing in space when there are so many challenges facing humanity on Earth?
- How do businesses profit from working within the space economy?
- What does the work of SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin tell us about opportunities in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), the moon, and Mars?
- What steps a business must go through to be part of the new space race
- How new private and national programs will add to the complexity and vibrancy of the economy
- What is the role of space in human rights?
- How does the improvement of communities in space lead to social and technology improvements?
- What environmental problems can be solved using space technology?
- What is the role of traditional financial institutions such as banks and mutual funds, and how does that compare to the role of family private offices, VCs, and hedge funds in disruptive industries like the space economy?
The course draws on fundamental concepts in business, economics, and finance and applies new concepts from ESG (environmental, social, and governance) investing, risk management, and social impact measurements. Participants gain a foundational understanding of business development, the importance of intellectual property, and the value of community building as part of any business strategy - how solving for space is really about solving for problems on Earth. Guest speakers represent the private sector as well as groups such as NASA, the Space Force, and international space organizations.
Students leave with the tools to place an economic lens on the business, technology, and financing of spaceports, the aerospace industry, space adjacent technology, and the space economy as a whole. From launch, to satellites, to private stations, to manufacturing in LEO, to the permanent human settlement of the moon, via the Artemis program, this course gives students insights into the future they will help build and lead.
As the final project for the course, participants generate their own investment strategies and portfolios.
Instructor(s)
George Pullen
George Pullen is a free-market economist with twenty years of experience as a strategic, analytical problem-solver. He teaches at the University of New Hampshire Law School, is a guest lecturer at the Eisenhower War College, and is a frequent presenter and speaker for conferences and media outlets on the subject of alternative market economics. Mr. Pullen has served as a banker, broker, hedge fund trader, consultant, and board member. His areas of alternative market expertise, research, and publishing include: finance, blockchain, AI/ML, energy, derivatives, risk modeling, and defense innovation. For the last decade he has been refining his economic philosophies as Senior Economist at the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission. He is also co-host of The Space Channel’s Space Economy Show, which draws over two million viewers. Mr. Pullen holds a charter with the International Institute of Forecasters, is a certified risk professional and advisor with the Global Association of Risk Professionals, and holds an MSc in Economics from Johns Hopkins.
Samson Williams
Samson Williams is an anthropologist and a finance and public health expert who advises Fortune 100 companies, executives, and startups in Dubai, Washington, DC, and Dublin. He learned his craft as Emergency Manager at Fannie Mae and has since gone on to be an advisor to banks and financial institutions in the Middle East and North Africa. Samson’s focus is helping firms understand the latest human trends in fintech, digital transformation, the space economy, and Low Earth Orbit entrepreneurship so that they can make profitable decisions. Samson is co-host of The Space Channel’s Space Economy Show, which draws over two million monthly viewers. He led Milky Way Economy’s investment into Brite.us so as to help startups and businesses fund space exploration. Samson holds a certification in Blockchain, Cryptocurrency & Law from the University of New Hampshire School of Law and an MS in Emergency Management from American Military University.
Specific course details such as topics, activities, hours, and instructors are subject to change at the discretion of the University. Not all instructors listed for a course teach all sections of that course.