How Advanced Innovations Are Transforming Life in Space and on Earth

It is early Sunday morning. You have just woken up from a good night's sleep on your memory foam pillow. As you stretch, you head for your water filtration system and pour yourself a glass of ice-cold water. You have an appointment in 45 minutes, so you grab your smartphone to enter the address of the café where you are meeting an old school friend: 13 minutes, the GPS says. It's time to wake your mind nice and gently; jazz music flows from your wireless earphones into your ears while you pour yourself a nice cup of freshly brewed coffee.

This scenario probably doesn’t seem too unknown to most of us, and our technology has become such a big part of our existence and lives that we no longer give it any deeper thought. We have become one with technology – a deep form of symbiosis, if you like.

Space technology with a boomerang effect

In all probability, it is rare that we actually pay any attention to where our technology comes from and how it came to be. Although much of our modern technology is designed for use here on Earth, we are in very close contact with technological inventions that were developed for use by astronauts going into space. But sometimes the technology and innovations are simply too good to only be used in space. Then we have the boomerang effect of technology coming right back to us at its starting point. Psst: if you don't believe us, just read the introduction again; there are four technological inventions that we can thank the development of space-tech for. A few of these inventions include memory foam, GPS, water purifiers, and wireless earphones.

Amidst writing this article, Danish ESA-astronaut Andreas Mogensen is on the International Space Station. Among other things, he will collect data from research providing companies with new knowledge. One of the experiments will be testing of the so-called ‘MD filter system’ for water purification in the space. The knowledge gained through the experiment will help develop a water purification system enabling astronauts to reuse wastewater when exploring space, the Moon, and Mars.

One small step for technology, one giant leap for (wo)mankind

By the end of 2021, only 570 people had been in space worldwide¹. Although the average price per astronaut brought to space is astronomically high, the innovation and space-tech in a larger perspective actually help us to pave the way towards a better, healthier, and more sustainable future for humanity and life on our blue planet. When we look down on our own globe from a distant perspective, we can supplement and expand our existing knowledge about space. Denmark's space strategy sets a clear and green direction for the Danish efforts and highlights the space area's great potential to contribute to the development of new green technologies and solutions that can protect the climate, the environment and nature, but also increase its security and preparedness².

If we zoom in from a broader perspective to a concrete example of space-tech’s considerable potential, Senior Researcher at DTU Space, Irfan Kuvvetli, helps develop instruments for space telescopes, and he has specialized in detectors that can detect gamma radiation. The tracing of gamma radiation from radioactive elements can be used to examine different organs in the human body.

For these reasons, DTU Space was invited to collaborate with the British company Kromek, which manufactures radiation detectors for the pharmaceutical industry. The ultimate goal and hope is that the detector will be able to assist in treating breast cancer even more effectively by generating a 3D-model of the body tissue as a supplement to the traditional mammogram examinations. A biopsy could potentially become so precise that chances of a successful cancer treatment is significantly improved.

An astronomical space economy

In 2022, the space industry worldwide was valued at around USD 447 billion. In round numbers, this is equivalent of buying 1,003 new Airbus A380 aircrafts or building 751 new Empire State Buildings. But it doesn't stop here, because in 2030 the space economy is expected to double to an astronomical range between USD 1,000 billion to USD 1 trillion, indicating the sector's unprecedented potential.

Picture source: McKinsey

Remarkably, about 70 nations now have their own space agencies, which implies the universal appeal and potential of space innovations and exploration.