Commercial Space

The commercial space market, also known as the private space industry or NewSpace, is experiencing strong growth. This burgeoning sector encompasses activities such as satellite manufacturing, space tourism, rocket launches, satellite services and space exploration initiatives driven by private companies. Players like SpaceX and Blue Origin on the launch side, or Planet and Maxar with their in-orbit satellite constellations are revolutionizing the industry, making space more accessible and cost-effective. The demand for satellite internet, Earth observation, and space-based services has fueled investments and technological advancements. With the rise of reusable rockets, commercial crew missions, and ambitious plans for space mining and Mars colonization, the commercial space market is poised for exponential growth, promising exciting developments and opportunities into the future. 

News & Analysis

Jun 15, 2020
Lueders Third Person To Lead NASA’s Lunar Leap
Fresh off a major milestone in a difficult 10-year effort by NASA to establish a U.S. commercial capability to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS), Kathy Lueders has taken over leadership of an accelerated effort by the agency to return human explorers to the Moon’s surface in 2024.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Jun 15, 2020
Leonardo Increases Stake In Avio
Leonardo has increased its stake in Italian space company Avio to just less than 30%.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Jun 15, 2020
Rocket Lab Resumes Flights With NASA, NRO Launch
After an 11-week hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rocket Lab resumed launch operations on June 13 by successfully launching a payload of small satellites for NASA, the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and the University of New South Wales Canberra Space into low Earth orbit.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Jun 12, 2020
Blue Origin, Dynetics, SpaceX Up For 2024 Lunar Landing
Representatives from the three commercial Human Lander System developers recently chosen by NASA to shuttle future astronauts from lunar orbit to the Moon’s surface are expressing confidence that their efforts can help the agency achieve the White House goal of returning to the Moon with astronauts in 2024 and establishing a sustainable presence.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Jun 11, 2020
Astrobotic To Deliver NASA’s Water-Seeking Lunar Rover
NASA has awarded Astrobotic a $199.5 million contract to deliver the Volatiles Investigation Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) to the Moon’s south pole in 2023, where it will search for water ice deposits that could be useful to future astronauts.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Jun 15, 2020
Lueders Third Person To Lead NASA’s Lunar Leap
Fresh off a major milestone in a difficult 10-year effort by NASA to establish a U.S. commercial capability to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS), Kathy Lueders has taken over leadership of an accelerated effort by the agency to return human explorers to the Moon’s surface in 2024.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Jun 15, 2020
Leonardo Increases Stake In Avio
Leonardo has increased its stake in Italian space company Avio to just less than 30%.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Jun 15, 2020
Rocket Lab Resumes Flights With NASA, NRO Launch
After an 11-week hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rocket Lab resumed launch operations on June 13 by successfully launching a payload of small satellites for NASA, the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and the University of New South Wales Canberra Space into low Earth orbit.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Jun 12, 2020
Blue Origin, Dynetics, SpaceX Up For 2024 Lunar Landing
Representatives from the three commercial Human Lander System developers recently chosen by NASA to shuttle future astronauts from lunar orbit to the Moon’s surface are expressing confidence that their efforts can help the agency achieve the White House goal of returning to the Moon with astronauts in 2024 and establishing a sustainable presence.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Jun 11, 2020
Astrobotic To Deliver NASA’s Water-Seeking Lunar Rover
NASA has awarded Astrobotic a $199.5 million contract to deliver the Volatiles Investigation Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) to the Moon’s south pole in 2023, where it will search for water ice deposits that could be useful to future astronauts.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Jun 09, 2020
2024 Moon Landing Forcing NASA To Reform Human Spaceflight
The director of the White House National Space Council believes NASA’s push to return astronauts to the lunar surface by 2024 is helping the agency significantly streamline its decision-making, though there’s more to do.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Jun 08, 2020
‘Slash the Trash’: A Formula For Curbing Orbital Debris
As the commercial space market grows, how can industry incentivize efforts to clean up orbital debris?
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Jun 08, 2020
NASA Finalizes Initial Gateway Habitation Contract
The design concept for the habitation and logistics elements of the lunar-orbiting Gateway that  NASA is pursuing under a $187 million contract with Northrop Grumman has a significant heritage in the evolving Cygnus resupply mission spacecraft that have so far launched and berthed successfully to the International Space Station 13 times since September 2013.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report