Dear friends and colleagues,

With today’s historic space sector IPO generating so much attention, I’ve found myself thinking about the broader relationship between space technology and climate. Much of the discussion understandably focuses on emissions, resource use, launch activity, valuation, and what the stock may do next. Those are all important considerations.

At the same time, I wonder whether there is a larger conversation worth having.

For years, many of us in the climate community have talked about the importance of better data, improved monitoring, stronger communications infrastructure, and greater resilience. Increasingly, it seems that advances in space technology could play a role in all of these areas.

What I find interesting is that lower-cost access to space may enable applications that go well beyond exploration. Earth observation, wildfire detection, agricultural monitoring, disaster response, climate risk assessment, and global connectivity all seem likely to benefit from more capable satellite networks and lower deployment costs.

The climate conversation often focuses on energy, transportation, food systems, and industrial decarbonization, and rightly so. But I wonder whether space infrastructure deserves more attention as an enabling technology that could help us better understand, manage, and adapt to a changing climate.

I’m curious what others think. As space technology continues to advance, where do you see the biggest opportunities for climate and resilience? Are there applications that deserve more attention, or are we getting ahead of ourselves?

Best,

Jarett