Space Industry
What if the edge isn't at the ground — but 550km above it?
Space infrastructure follows the same Three Flows pattern as terrestrial networks. Satellites are DePIN nodes in orbit — collecting data, routing signals, and settling transactions at the speed of light.
Playbook
| Prompts | Questions | Reflections |
|---|---|---|
| Principles | What truths guide us? | 6 invariants, physics constraints |
| Performance | Is it working? | KPI hierarchy, 6.5/10 opportunity score |
| Protocols | How do we coordinate? | Intercognitive, Three Flows |
| Platform | What tools? | ABCD stack, ground segment |
| Players | Who's building? | Ecosystem map, Rocket Lab deep dive |
Most Important Question
When infrastructure extends beyond Earth, what happens to ownership, coordination, and trust?
The Transformation Thesis
Space infrastructure is transitioning from:
| From | To | Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Government-dominated | Commercial-led | Launch cost reduction (10x in decade) |
| Vertically integrated | Modular, API-driven | Standardized interfaces (Intercognitive) |
| Proprietary data silos | Composable data markets | Blockchain provenance + token incentives |
| Earth-based control | Autonomous operation | AI + edge compute on satellites |
| Per-asset ownership | Tokenized capacity | Crypto enables fractional infrastructure |
S-curve position: Late Adoption / Early Growth. Launch costs down 10x, mega-constellations deploying, but tokenization and DePIN models still emerging.
The Internal Tools Layer
Space infrastructure transformation isn't just about launch costs and constellations — it's about the coordination layer that makes distributed physical assets (rockets, satellites, ground stations) operate as unified systems.
This is where Rocket Lab's Business Automation team operates: building the internal tools that turn mission planning → launch sequencing → ground station scheduling → production floor optimization into traceable, visible, automatic workflows. The third space where inner (intent, mission) meets outer (infrastructure, execution).
The same patterns that enable Intercognitive protocols (identity, positioning, connectivity, orchestration, standards) apply to internal business automation. See Telecom Industry for how this convergence plays out terrestrially.
Opportunity Score
Aggregate: 6.5 / 10 | Classification: Monitor Closely
| Dimension | Score | Key Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Market Attractiveness | 8.0 | $1.1T space economy by 2040, 9% CAGR |
| Technology Disruption | 7.0 | Launch costs 10x lower, reusability proven |
| VVFL Alignment | 6.0 | Loop works conceptually, tokenization nascent |
| Competitive Position | 5.5 | SpaceX dominance, high barriers |
| Timing Risk | 6.0 | Regulation uncertain, debris growing |
Verdict: Strong long-term fundamentals, but centralized players dominate. Watch for tokenized constellation plays and ground station DePIN opportunities.
See Space Performance for full KPI analysis.
Navigate This Analysis
📄️ Principles
The immutable truths that govern space infrastructure — physics, economics, and sovereignty
📄️ Performance
The KPIs that matter in space infrastructure — from launch economics to constellation operations
📄️ Protocols
The standards and workflows that enable space infrastructure coordination — from launch to operations
📄️ Platform
The ABCD technology stack for space infrastructure — AI, Blockchain, Crypto, and DePIN at orbital scale
📄️ Players
The ecosystem shaping space infrastructure — incumbents, disruptors, enablers, and the emerging DePIN opportunity
Friction → Opportunity Map
Where the ABCD stack creates intervention opportunities:
| Friction | ABCD Layer | Status | Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|
| High launch costs | DePIN | 🟢 Improving | Still centralized, costs dropping |
| Ground station lock-in | DePIN | 🟡 Opening | Permissionless antenna networks |
| Data silos (EO) | Blockchain + AI | 🔴 Closed | Composable data markets |
| Satellite identity | Blockchain | 🔴 Gap | On-chain machine passports |
| Cross-constellation coordination | Crypto | 🔴 Gap | Token-incentivized standards |
Highest-Value Gaps
1. Ground Station DePIN — Helium-style permissionless antenna network for LEO downlinks.
2. EO Data Composability — Blockchain-verified, AI-fused Earth observation as composable service.
See Space Platform for full stack analysis.
The Scale Progression
The same pattern from inner to outer space:
| Scale | What Moves | Infrastructure | Feedback Loop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inner space (mind) | Attention | Neural pathways | Reflection |
| Games | Player actions | Game engine | Skill development |
| Earth surface | Data/value | Sensors, robots | AI learning |
| Orbit | Photons | Satellites | Orbital mechanics |
| Deep space | Probes | Relay networks | Multi-year delay |
The loop is the same. The timescale changes.
Deep Dives
| Section | What's There |
|---|---|
| Rocket Lab Case Study | Data architecture, vertical integration thesis |
| Intercognitive in Space | Nine pillars at orbital scale |
| Robotics Industry | Mobile DePIN, same patterns |
| Telecom Industry | Terrestrial Three Flows |
Context
- Robotics Industry — Mobile DePIN on Earth and beyond
- Intercognitive Standard — The protocol layer for physical AI
- Telecom Industry — Terrestrial Three Flows
- AI Data Industry — Earth observation feeds AI
- DePIN — Physical infrastructure patterns
- DePIN Asset Analysis — Investment framework
Resources
- Rocket Lab Investor Relations
- Space Foundation Report
- Intercognitive Foundation
- GEODNET — DePIN RTK network
The Meta Question
"When infrastructure extends beyond Earth, does ownership follow gravity — or the chain?"