The Space Economy's Battle School

The Space Economy's Battle School

Forward

Since 2019 George Pullen and I have been privileged to teach "The Future Of The Space Economy" for Columbia University's Pre-College Program. Columbia recruits 10-20 of the brightest 14 to 17 year old minds on the planet interested in The Space Economy and together with George Pullen, we walk them through a variety of scenarios and economic thought experiences pertaining to space. Such boring things as, "Who owns the moon" and "The economic role of the Bureau of Land Management on Mars". Now, five years later hindsight shows up and points out the obvious. We have inadvertently been running the beta version of Ender's Game Battle School. What follows is a brief essay expounding on that and where, with a little focused strategy, this program for the future leaders of The Space Economy could go and should go. - Samson Williams, Anthropologist-In-Residence

Introduction

In a world where geopolitical tensions and technological advancements have converged, the classroom of Samson Williams and George Pullen at Columbia University has inadvertently become a modern version of "Battle School" from Ender's Game. While Orson Scott Card's fictional school was designed to prepare children for interstellar warfare, the Columbia course on AI, FinTech, and Deep Tech has inadvertently been preparing the next generation of leaders for a different kind of war—the battlefields of the 21st century, increasingly dominated by drones, AI, cryptocurrencies and autonomous systems.

The parallels are undeniable. Just as Ender's Game focused on simulations and real-time strategies to defeat an external threat, Williams and Pullen's course integrates emerging technologies, like drones and decentralized finance, to analyze and predict the future of warfare and economics. The developments in drone technology, particularly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, highlight the importance of such educational initiatives. Drones have evolved from simple reconnaissance tools into fully autonomous combat units, capable of surveillance, logistics, and lethal action. The implications for future warfare are enormous, and understanding these technologies in academic settings is essential for national security and economic leadership.

The "battlefield" these students are being prepared for is not just physical but also digital and economic. From cyber warfare to the disruption of financial systems, the world has entered a new era of conflict where technological supremacy will determine the outcome. Given the rise of drones and AI since Russia's war in Ukraine, the ability to understand and innovate in these fields will be critical not just in Earth's gravity well but beyond it into microgravity. Just as Ender's Battle School was a proving ground for the brightest minds, this course serves as an incubator for future leaders who will shape the policies and strategies that govern autonomous warfare and Earth-to-Sun-to-Ceres economic resilience.

The need for such programs to expand across universities in the USA is critical. As technology spawn from The Space Economy continues to evolve and become more accessible, other institutions must follow Columbia’s lead in integrating these technologies into their curricula. The rapid deployment of AI and autonomous drones in modern conflict zones, especially Ukraine, has underscored their tactical advantages and demonstrated that the future of warfare will heavily depend on unmanned, AI-controlled systems. Expanding these terrestiral based programs to include the realities of the Space Economy will not only bolster defense strategies but also ensure a global workforce is equipped to manage the ethical, technical, and strategic challenges that accompany this new frontier.

In essence, Williams and Pullen have inadvertently set the stage for a modern Battle School, but instead of preparing students for interstellar conflict, they are grooming the leaders of tomorrow for a world where the Deep Tech of The Space Economy and economics are interwoven into the fabric of global/ Earth-to-Ceres security. The question is not whether more universities should adopt this model—but how soon. The global landscape demands it, and the future depends on it.