As Spaces Evolves into a “Normal Market”, How Will This Impact the Competition?

On the Space to Grow podcast, Astroscale’s Chris Blackerby and Charity Weeden bring their compelling experience and expertise to map out the technology, international policy, and scalability that will define the next generation of space exploration.

In this episode, Kevin O’Connell discussed his career in government that led to his present business of informing and defining space commerce as a consultant for companies throughout the globe. As founder and CEO of Space Economy Rising, LLC, O’Connell speaks to the past and future of space commerce. With decades of experience working within government institutions, including the White House as well as speaking before US Congress committees on a variety of issues, O’Connell is uniquely positioned to provide insight into an industry that is both elusive and relevant.

When asked about his transition to the private sector, O’Connell spoke to his decision as follows:

“We’ve had a lot of folks talk to us over the last few years to say hey Kevin you just have to slow this all down. You have to slow all of this work down, especially in lower earth orbit. And, our view was that we looked very hard for data driven approaches to regulation we were going to regulate. What would be the analytic basis upon which we would do it.

We worked with the FCC when they issued their orbital debris mitigation guidelines to say okay what pieces of this rule are supported by what kinds of evidence. And, in a lot of cases there was a lot of wishful thinking but there wasn’t a lot of data rigorously collected to support that. And I would say that regulation that is uninformed and just based on wishful thinking can really do tremendous damage to an industry. So, you have to think about it that way. I think you do.”

This intriguing podcast goes on to explore O’Connell’s transition out of government and to what he is doing now in the private sector as well as what lessons he is bringing forward into his present business.

Of the many hats O’Connell wears, the most significant of his present contributions is in the field of space economy. This includes advising companies on

  • Space Industry
  • Technology
  • Space finance community
  • Basics that must be done as an early-stage company in this field
  • Competitors
  • Orbital debris mitigation strategies
  • Cyber security strategies
  • Investment Risk Management
  • And much more.

Tune in to learn from this renowned expert as the discussion covers everything from how he got to where he is to what he envisions for the future of space economy.

More in This Series

This Season’s Mission Will Be Making Space Relatable

The Evolving Diplomatic Side of Space Sustainability

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

medicine
The Art of Recovery: Where Music and Medicine Meet in Patient Care
May 14, 2026

Healthcare today can feel overwhelming—not just for patients, but for the teams caring for them. After a major illness or injury, recovery isn’t handled by one doctor alone; it often involves a whole network of specialists, from physical therapists to nurses to social workers, all trying to help someone regain their independence and quality…

Read More
infant health
From Monitoring to Knowing: How Owlet Is Redefining Infant Health at Retail
May 14, 2026

Baby monitors have long promised parents the ability to see and hear their child from another room. But as connected health devices become more normalized in everyday life, from smartwatches to sleep trackers, parents are beginning to expect more than visibility. They want insight. For Owlet, that shift matters because its wearable monitors track…

Read More
SPD
Unlocking CensisAI²: The Metrics That Matter for Smarter SPD Decisions
May 13, 2026

Sterile processing departments are swimming in data, from workflow automation and supply data to patient outcome and quality metrics. But the real challenge is not collecting more information; it is knowing which metrics actually improve SPD performance, technician education, OR readiness and patient safety. For Censis, a leader in surgical asset management, the focus…

Read More
User-generated content
The New Rules of Discoverability: How User-Generated Content Is Reshaping Search, Trust, and Brand Visibility
May 12, 2026

User-generated content (UGC) is moving from marketing side dish to main course as large language models change how people discover brands, products, creators, and ideas. Customer reviews, forum posts, videos, and community conversations increasingly carry more influence than polished brand copy because they feel more specific, lived-in, and trustworthy. As AI systems learn from…

Read More