I think this is really 80% of the seed stage work. It's sort of like how early pioneers discovered new lands, how geologists find oil deposits, how police catch criminals. There are techniques to do it, but it depends a lot on individual skill, willpower, and a little luck.

And generally people don't build SpaceX competitors, unless they're already millionaires or have a MBA from Harvard and such. There's a reason Elon started with fintech.