Space 2276: The U.S. Off-Earth Economy and the Next Frontier

Space.com envisions that by 2276 the U.S. and other nations will run a thriving off-Earth economy—satellite services, space tourism, in-space manufacturing, and asteroid mining for water, propellants and metals—driving Moon and Mars outposts and continued Artemis-era exploration. Robotics and AI advance toward greater autonomy; life-detection efforts may uncover past or present extraterrestrial life on Mars or icy moons within decades. If humanity avoids political pitfalls and taps asteroid resources, interstellar reach with advanced propulsion could become feasible.