Applying Artificial Intelligence to Manage Cost in Space Operations

The Apollo Program was ultimately terminated due to one fundamental issue: the high cost of operations. In the new Space Age, the commercial space industry's growth continues to be constrained by cost. It is no surprise that the primary launch companies rely on funding from wealthy investors. For the space community to expand and support a broader ecosystem of participating companies, accurate cost estimation and ongoing cost reduction are essential. Space operations demand careful cost management throughout the program lifecycle, from engineering development to launch and recovery. Artificial Intelligence offers new opportunities for managing costs effectively. By leveraging data through methods such as deduction, statistics, and machine learning, we can achieve more accurate predictions of production and operational costs. These insights enable better cost decisions during engineering development, production, and flight operations. This lecture explores use cases for applying AI to cost management in the space industry and outlines cost management practices to empower space economy entrepreneurs to reach for the stars.