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World's first self-styled space trader scopes out a $43-billion industry

Nagasaki's startup, Space BD Inc. wants to become a one-stop shop for companies looking for room on rockets, offering technical advice and matching them to launch operators

Masatoshi Nagasaki is the world’s first self-styled space trader. He won a contract with JAXA, Japan’s space agency, a year after starting Space BD in 2017
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Masatoshi Nagasaki is the world’s first self-styled space trader. He won a contract with JAXA, Japan’s space agency, a year after starting Space BD in 2017

Masumi Suga and Hiromi Horie | Bloomberg
The business of manufacturing and launching small satellites is projected to grow almost fourfold over the coming decade to $42.8 billion, creating an opportunity for those seeking to profit from increased commerce between companies in the industry.

One of them is Masatoshi Nagasaki, the world’s first self-styled space trader.

The 39-year-old doesn’t work in a spacecraft, jetting from planet to planet like a character in an Isaac Asimov novel. Instead, he works on the seventh floor of a building that’s become a hub for space-related startups. He’s already won contracts from Japan’s space agency to broker satellite launches.

“Space companies will definitely need