United Launch Alliance, the nation’s largest private rocket operator, wants to operate a fleet of “space trucks” that would ferry cargo and people between Earth and the moon to create a $3 trillion economy in space that will eventually include people living and working in lunar colonies.
United Launch Alliance CEO Salvatore “Tory” Bruno, who has headed the Lockheed Martin-Boeing joint venture in Centennial since 2014, outlined his dream during a panel discussion Wednesday at the 33rd annual Space Symposium and told a group of entrepreneurs on the podium and in the audience that he needs innovative startups to help make it happen.
“I’m on a mission to produce a manned presence outside of this planet and I am going to build a railroad between here and the moon,” Bruno said. “The key is a flexible space transportation system, a fleet of space trucks that are reusable and stay in space. When we do this there will be a $3 trillion economy in space and 1,000 people will be living and working in space. That will change everything here on Earth. If precious metals were not longer expensive, what will that do for humankind if we can accomplish this in the next 20-30 years.”
The company’s vision, called “Cislunar 1000,” calls for space manufacturing, commercial habitats and prospecting for space metals within five years, space tourism and mining for rocket fuel on the moon within 15 years and asteroid mining, large-scale manufacturing and people living on the moon within 30 years.
Reaching Bruno’s ambitious goal will require plenty of innovative ideas from entrepreneurs — “not just one guy with a great idea but a lot of people with great ideas.”
He was one of seven panelists discussing innovation moderated by an official from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
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