This article encourages the reader to scrutinize the lofty projections of the space economy’s past and future growth, examining the assumptions underlying the estimates and forecasts and considering the reasons for caution. It’s time to take a step back from the exhilaration of space exploration and consider the reality of building an economy outside our home planet. The journey to the stars may be the next frontier, but like any frontier, it comes with its fair share of risks and unknowns.