Steve Wozniak, the co-founder of Apple Inc., is creating a space company named Privateer, although we know very little about it. As a result of the announcement, we now have more questions than answers, but we may find out more soon.
Wozniak tweeted on Sunday about a “private space company” he’s launching that’s “unlike the others.” The company’s main purpose is to “keep space safe and accessible to all humankind,” according to a YouTube video Wozniak linked. Ripcord founder Alex Fielding is also a co-founder.
Now more and more high-end companies desire a substantial presence in the space, which is rapidly expanding, and it appears that even Wozniak couldn’t avoid the lure.
In the past, a privateer was an armed vessel deployed by a state to attack enemy ships for a fee. Privateer’s site says, “The sky is no longer the limit,” and “We are in stealth mode.” According to the site, the company will be at the AMOS (Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies) conference, which begins Tuesday in Wailea, Hawaii.
“This isn’t a race,” the video states. “It isn’t a competition. Or a game. We are not one person, one company, one nation. We are one planet.”
However, there’s still a chance the Privateer is working on military technology to secure space assets, at least according to one interpretation of the mysterious release.
“Privateer Space is working to keep space safe and accessible to all humankind,” the video’s description reads.
“It’s up to us to work together to do what is right and what is good,” the promo video says. “So here’s to taking care of what we have so the next generation can be better together.”
For now, we can only speculate. More information will be released by the company at the Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference in Maui, Hawaii.
Wozniak’s support for a military space company is unique. The entrepreneur has long been an advocate for environmental causes and open-source software. Last year, he established Efforce, a billion-dollar marketplace for supporting ecologically beneficial projects.
Overall, it’s difficult to know the true breadth of the announcement. Will Privateer assist governments in combating anti-satellite technologies and missiles used by its enemies? Is this yet another attempt to make space “accessible to all humans” via space tourism?
We all have to hold our breath and watch what happens.