Public support vital for space industry

Abu Dhabi - Public interest in the sector has rebounded, more needs to be done to ensure general public buy-in.

Public interest worldwide in the global space industry is undergoing a resurgence thanks to social media, plans for human space travel, asteroid mining and competitively-friendly banter between new sector actors.
Speaking as a panelist at the Global Space Congress in Abu Dhabi, Minoo Rathnasabapathy, executive-director of the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), which supports the UN's Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, said though public interest in the sector has rebounded, more needs to be done to ensure general public buy-in.
"While there are many successful outreach programmes in place to inform the general public on the benefits of space, there is a need for constant support from the public. More can always be done to highlight the return of investment of space missions, and how these missions directly affect and improve the quality of life on Earth," said Rathnasabapathy.
He was taking part in a congress panel devoted to 'What The Future Of Space Means For Humanity' where she believes the inspiration and motivation the industry delivers took centrestage.
"One of the most important human aspects of the space industry is the inspiration and motivation we get through projecting ourselves through astronauts and explorers," said Minoo. "The space industry challenges us to reach beyond the ordinary, and strive to push scientific and technical boun-daries. Although non-quantifiable, it comes back to the need to grasp the public's attention and ensure they feel invested in space exploration in addition to understanding the value of down-stream applications that help tackle issues such as climate change and water shortage."
Through debate at the Congress, Abu Dhabi probed the ongoing and future use of remote technology in space exploration, Rathnasabapathy believes the human aspect cannot be overlooked.
Rathnasabapathy added that though initial public perception of the industry has been for highly-qualified, First World elite, much work behind the scenes is pointing to more cross-national cooperation to avoid a scramble for space and ensure a peaceful outcome
for all.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi