Eric Sundby, the co-founder and CEO of TerraSpace, a mineral exploration company, recently expressed his views on the United States' potential to benefit from the abundance of critical minerals in outer space. However, he also voiced concerns about the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) making strides to seize this opportunity. Sundby's remarks were made during a Dec. 12 House Natural Resources Committee hearing titled "The Mineral Supply Chain and the New Space Race."
Sundby stated, "Humanity stands on the precipice of a new era: one that will be defined by space development and the utilization of space resources. Space holds an endless amount of opportunity for America, both economic and strategic, yet this opportunity is challenged by the Chinese Communist Party and its allies in Russia and a growing number of states, as China has launched the International Lunar Research Station Organization initiative over the last year."
Chairman Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations echoed Sundby's sentiments during his opening remarks at the hearing. According to a video of the event, Gosar highlighted that the United States is trailing behind China and Russia in this new space race. He attributed this lag to an increasing demand for technology such as electric vehicles, which is consequently driving up demand for critical minerals. Gosar noted that challenges such as transportation costs and logistical issues are hindering efforts to mine these minerals in space. However, he emphasized that despite these obstacles, the potential benefits of obtaining celestial minerals are "immeasurable," but warned that if China or other adversarial nations outpace the United States in this race, it would leave the U.S. "vulnerable."
During his testimony at the hearing, Sundby pointed out that many essential minerals have already been identified on celestial bodies like the moon. Citing data from U.S Geological Survey reports showing China's control over 60% of global critical mineral production and 85% of processing capacity on earth, Sundby warned, "This threat to our mineral supply chain calls for new and innovative ways at looking at resources from a national perspective, with space resources being front and center." He urged the government to support private sector innovation in order to advance America's interests in the space race.
Dr. Greg Autry, director and Clinical Professor of the Space Leadership, Policy, and Business program at the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University, also testified during the hearing. He stated that space presents an opportunity for the U.S. to transition from merely consuming critical minerals to producing them. Autry said, "The Chinese know that space mining challenges are surmountable," adding that they are already working towards overcoming these obstacles. He suggested increased R&D funding, additional NASA funding, and ensuring that the Space Force is adequately prepared as potential solutions.
Michelle Hanlon, executive director of the Center for Air and Space Law at the University of Mississippi School of Law, echoed this sentiment during her testimony. She highlighted that the stakes in this current space race are higher than they were during the last one. According to Hanlon, while prestige was a key factor in previous races, access to resources that could improve life on earth is now paramount. She noted that there is a "tremendous advantage" for whoever establishes a mining presence in space first. "China has made no secret of its own space resource utilization plans," Hanlon said. "And remember: winning only requires getting there first."
