TOKYO -- Sony is set to make a foray into the rapidly growing private space industry, launching a business that will draw on its domestic appliance technology to mass produce optical communications devices for small satellites.
Numerous space startups have been launched in the U.S. and elsewhere in recent years, creating a market for small satellites and mini rockets that cost significantly less than those used in state-led projects. The new industry is estimated to be worth hundreds of billions of dollars and is increasingly attracting companies that see an opportunity to use existing technologies.
