# NASA sees only a few proven markets in commercial space

Markdown copy of https://realalpha.app/s/nasa-sees-only-a-few-proven-markets-in-commercial-space/ on Real Alpha, the best minutes from long interviews with the people building AI. Cite and link the page, not this copy.

- Speaker: [Jared Isaacman](https://realalpha.app/people/jared-isaacman/) · Jared Isaacman is an entrepreneur, pilot, commercial astronaut and NASA administrator. · Commanded Inspiration4, the first all-civilian orbital flight, and founded Shift4 payments; now runs NASA.
- Host: [Peter Diamandis](https://realalpha.app/people/peter-diamandis/) · Founder, XPRIZE · Co-founded Singularity University and founded Zero-G; co-wrote the books Abundance and Bold.
- Host: [Salim Ismail](https://realalpha.app/people/salim-ismail/) · Founder, Open ExO · Co-wrote Exponential Organizations; was Singularity University's founding executive director; sold Ångströ to Google.
- Host: [Dave Blundin](https://realalpha.app/people/dave-blundin/) · Founder & GP, Link Ventures · Has co-founded 23 companies; founding CEO of Vestmark and chairman of insurance marketplace EverQuote.
- Host: [Alexander Wissner-Gross](https://realalpha.app/people/alexander-wissner-gross/) · Founder & chief scientist, Physical Superintelligence · Has backed and advised 40+ tech companies, directly and through 021T Capital and Reified; writes The Innermost Loop.
- Show: Moonshots
- Episode: [Jared Isaacman: NASA's Moon Base by 2028, Optimus Robots on the Moon, and 15 Years to Mars | Ep #274](https://realalpha.app/v/nV_lyWrkBs8/), Jul 27, 2026
- Moment: 15:38 to 20:03 of the episode (4 min), playing on https://realalpha.app/s/nasa-sees-only-a-few-proven-markets-in-commercial-space/; the episode from there: https://realalpha.app/v/nV_lyWrkBs8/?t=938

## Quote

> “Launch observation and communications, those are the **only things we know** for sure.”
> — [Jared Isaacman](https://realalpha.app/people/jared-isaacman/) at [18:50](https://realalpha.app/v/nV_lyWrkBs8/?t=1130) · Moonshots

## Takeaways

1. Launch, observation and communications are established markets.
2. Orbital data centers could broaden the space economy.
3. NASA should pursue work industry is unlikely to fund.

## About this segment

Jared Isaacman says launch, observation and communications are the only proven space markets; orbital data centers could add another revenue stream. He wants NASA focused on work without obvious commercial customers.

From “Jared Isaacman: NASA's Moon Base by 2028, Optimus Robots on the Moon, and 15 Years to Mars | Ep #274”, Jul 27, 2026. [Watch the full episode](https://realalpha.app/v/nV_lyWrkBs8/)

## Transcript

Transcribed by machine (Whisper) from the episode’s audio, so a word may be off here and there.

[15:44](https://realalpha.app/v/nV_lyWrkBs8/?t=944) So that's just incredibly cool. But at the same time, orbital data centers have stolen the spotlight recently. What's NASA's position on orbital data centers? And, you know, it's going to create a huge amount of launch capacity. So maybe assembling things for trans-solar in space is part of the stepping stone there. But what is the position on orbital data centers? Well, first, just to hit, I mean, even unlocking fission forms of propulsion, I would still argue would be a major distraction for a lot of commercial industry right now when, I mean, there is so much potential else there, not to mention all the terrestrial applications for fission power when we are trying to win an AI race, which I think is, by the way, just to point out, extremely healthy for NASA.

[16:25](https://realalpha.app/v/nV_lyWrkBs8/?t=985) I think the worst thing for NASA, as the world's most accomplished space agency, is trying to do what the rest of industry is doing. I don't think that is a good thing for recruiting the best talent or retaining it or workforce development. Right now, I see NASA, I mean, this is our opportunity to have the Hyman-Rickover nuclear Navy transition and start working again on the near-impossible, what others are not focused on that have no obvious business use cases where NASA will not be one customer of many and truly have those kind of pioneering breakthroughs for the benefit, again, for all humankind, enabling capabilities for surface power on the moon, for Mars surface power at some point, and to be able to undertake, again, realistic exploration missions in the outer solar system.

[17:10](https://realalpha.app/v/nV_lyWrkBs8/?t=1030) So, I even fissioned power, by the way. It was a huge step in the right direction for NASA outside of where industry should rightfully be trying to raise capital and put their attention to it. In terms of orbital data centers, if Elon and SpaceX are betting on this right now, there is no... reason to believe this will not come into existence. Never, ever, ever bet against Elon, right? A hundred percent, right? And I never bet against an extremely well-capitalized Elon. So people ask, you know, and my position as NASA administrator, what do I think of, for example, of SpaceX as an IPO? Like, first of all, I'm thrilled with any of our partners that are essential to undertaking and achieving our mission. Like, again, number one, national space policy objective, return American astronauts to the lunar surface build the moon base out. We can't do it without them.

[18:01](https://realalpha.app/v/nV_lyWrkBs8/?t=1081) The fact that they're extremely well-capitalized right now is a fantastic thing, not to mention the engineering talent that's in there and, I think, without question, the greatest entrepreneur and engineer in recent history at the helm. I think that's all very good. No doubt it will come into existence. What I care about beyond the potential of space-based data centers and harnessing our free fusion reactor that's out there is the prospect of an expanded space economy.

[18:32](https://realalpha.app/v/nV_lyWrkBs8/?t=1112) Because I will tell you, I'm a little bit more measured in this. Maybe just having started my company in 1999, when you started to see the final days before the dot-com bubble, we at times get enamored by the potential of things, as it was with the internet then, and how it may be today in some respects with commercial space. Launch observation and communications, those are the only things we know for sure.

[19:00](https://realalpha.app/v/nV_lyWrkBs8/?t=1140) People say that all the time. It's your obligation for NASA to go to the moon and establish a lunar economy. What does that mean? I can't guarantee that we can get more value out of the lunar regolith and all the cost that goes into getting there and extracting what you need and then bringing it back to Earth or manufacturing there. There's no guarantee on all that. Our job is to go out, try and change the world in air and space.

[19:23](https://realalpha.app/v/nV_lyWrkBs8/?t=1163) And if along the way, you can have pioneering breakthroughs in commercial space, fantastic, because I don't believe we will all live in that exciting future we imagined as kids if it's entirely funded by taxpayers. So, to see perhaps another leg beyond launch observation and communications and say, orbital data center's a thing, the math closes, the economic potential there is real, And it will help fund a lot of the things we are all excited about in space, like maybe lots of commercial space stations or the infrastructure we want to see on the moon.

[19:57](https://realalpha.app/v/nV_lyWrkBs8/?t=1197) Fantastic. We should all be really excited about it.