The prospect of a Rockefeller-like figure such as Elon Musk ruling the galaxy will sit uncomfortably with many. But the West has few alternatives.

The real money, in SpaceX's telling, is in internet connectivity through its Starlink satellite service and above all artificial intelligence, provided by data centres rocketed…

The prospect of a Rockefeller-like figure such as Elon Musk ruling the galaxy will sit uncomfortably with many. But the West has few alternatives.