Reaching a destination in space is a velocity budget. Reusable, shared infrastructure and autonomous in-space transport each pay down the budget the launch vehicle would otherwise carry alone.
Destination
Compose the chain
Surface → orbit
In space
Budget
Δv budgets are representative mission values; the mass-ratio and payload math is the exact rocket equation. ◆ AI marks a segment whose gate is autonomy — estimation and control on the vehicle — rather than raw materials.