The Rise of Space Expansion and New Careers
Technological progress and advances in artificial intelligence are expected to shift job landscapes. Yet humanity will face fresh challenges that call for new experts. Futurist Alexander Kononov argues that expanding space will be the most critical task ahead. He shares these views with the Public News Service to outline a bold vision for the coming decades.
Kononov believes that after weathering today’s crises, the global population will push human civilization toward the cosmic frontier. He predicts that momentum in this area will accelerate within this century, reshaping how communities organize work and innovation.
According to him, space colonization will give rise to new professions. This development would not only create jobs but also help ease some of Earth’s ongoing tensions by moving focus to shared, large-scale goals.
“The space expansion sector will emerge as a major and influential field,” Kononov asserts. He argues that many functions currently performed by humans can be delegated to robots and intelligent systems, allowing people to pursue tasks that require creativity and strategic thinking.
In his view, the space industry could become a cornerstone of the economy, contributing a significant share of prosperity. Kononov envisions Russia taking a leading role in space exploration, described as a future cornerstone for global supply chains and natural resources—an essential part of the planet’s backbone.
When it comes to new jobs, he notes that roles will span robotization, developing innovative system solutions, and advancing cyber technologies. The shift is not just about automation; it’s about reorienting human effort toward higher-impact work.
Recent research indicates that office workers are among those most likely to be affected by automation. It is estimated that roughly a quarter of office tasks could be fully handled by productive AI, prompting a reallocation of human talent toward more complex activities.
Additionally, pilot cosmonaut Andrei Borisenko has previously highlighted that a portion of astronauts may never fly again, underscoring the evolving nature of space careers and the ongoing need for new training and skills in the field. [attribution: Public News Service]