Tradable Commodities Will Soon be Available in Space
The US-based Space Commodities Exchange Inc (SCX) has started designing the first products that would signify a new age of commerce in space: Tradable commodities. The SCX expects to sell the first units of propellant in Q4 of 2021.
“The recent intersection of the new technology required to make zero-G transfers possible, a demand for in-space and on-orbit commodities, plus competing international Space policy initiatives to achieve the towering heights in space commerce, has kicked us out of stealth mode to make space commodities an actual trade.”
Simon Drake, CEO of the SCX.
The SCX is an emerging space start-up applying free market “supply and demand” fundamentals to space commodities. From supplying fuel to satellites, to trading resources to and from Lunar bases, the Space Commodities Exchange is ensuring these commodities can be traded using existing regulated exchanges, evening out price volatility and to ultimately making space a more stable business environment.
The first tradable commodities will be propellants that address the needs of a variety of satellites. While these early stage products are small in size (in the tens of kilograms), they establish a framework for larger volume trades. The SCX goal is to ultimately position propellant depots in strategic orbits serving multiple customers.
“The recent intersection of the new technology required to make zero-G transfers possible, a demand for in-space and on-orbit commodities, plus competing international Space policy initiatives to achieve the towering heights in space commerce, has kicked us out of stealth mode to make space commodities an actual trade,” said Simon Drake, CEO of the SCX. “We want you to buy, hold or sell commodities in space.”
The SCX team consists of:
Simon Drake, Managing Director of Space Ventures Investors Ltd (UK) and Lunar Resources Registry UG (Germany)
Daniel Faber and Jeremy Schiel, of Orbit Fab.
David Hurst, CEO of Orbital Transports.
Brian Peterson, a top-25 market maker in oil and gas markets, also a designated market maker in new product launches on several global commodities exchanges.
SCX was founded in 2017, incorporated in 2019, and represents multiple skill sets building the emerging new space supply chain, from satellite-servicing, to investing, and regulated exchanges.
(Image provided with SCX news release)