The focus on space exploration could one day help put humans on Mars – but how does that future help Earth today? There is evidence that advancing manufacturing technologies for space exploration can help to solve problems on Earth. One example of this is the many uses for Velcro, which was initially created during the original Space Race as a design feature for astronaut spacesuits.
Innovations within space exploration technologies are also driving growth in manufacturing – both within aerospace and the wider industrial sector. This progress includes making supply chains more resilient, advancing materials, streamlining manufacturing processes, and improving production quality and efficiency.
As the aerospace industry continues to advance, it will have a trickle-down effect on manufacturing and could even continue down to positively impact the consumer goods sector. Anyone wary of the continued investment in space travel should see that the manufacturing community can do both simultaneously. We will solve problems on Earth as a result of improving manufacturing for space travel, rather than in spite of it.