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

Feb 27, 2020
Northrop Fires Up Omega Rocket’s Solid Fuel Second Stage
Northrop Grumman conducted a 139-sec. static test fire of its Omega rocket’s solid-fuel second stage on Feb. 27, the last of two full-scale engine firings prior to the rocket’s debut launch next year. 
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Feb 27, 2020
Virgin Galactic Prioritizes Flying Branson This Year Over Starting Ops
Virgin Galactic remains committed to becoming the first commercial human spaceflight provider this year, but it could entail just lofting co-founder and celebrity entrepreneur Richard Branson rather than starting regular operations as previously forecast. 
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Feb 19, 2020
Private Equity Funding Boosts Shetlands Satellite Launch Site
Plans for a satellite launch center on Britain’s Shetland Islands have been boosted by £2 million ($2.6 million) in funding from a private equity firm.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Feb 17, 2020
SpaceX Starlink Network Boosted To 300 Satellites
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral AFS with a fifth batch of the company’s Starlink broadband satellites.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Feb 15, 2020
Delayed Northrop Grumman ISS Cargo Mission Lifts Off
The NASA-contracted Cygnus spacecraft was on course to reach the ISS with Feb. 18 following a successful liftoff from the Wallops Island Flight Facility
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Feb 27, 2020
Northrop Fires Up Omega Rocket’s Solid Fuel Second Stage
Northrop Grumman conducted a 139-sec. static test fire of its Omega rocket’s solid-fuel second stage on Feb. 27, the last of two full-scale engine firings prior to the rocket’s debut launch next year. 
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Feb 27, 2020
Virgin Galactic Prioritizes Flying Branson This Year Over Starting Ops
Virgin Galactic remains committed to becoming the first commercial human spaceflight provider this year, but it could entail just lofting co-founder and celebrity entrepreneur Richard Branson rather than starting regular operations as previously forecast. 
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Feb 19, 2020
Private Equity Funding Boosts Shetlands Satellite Launch Site
Plans for a satellite launch center on Britain’s Shetland Islands have been boosted by £2 million ($2.6 million) in funding from a private equity firm.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Feb 17, 2020
SpaceX Starlink Network Boosted To 300 Satellites
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral AFS with a fifth batch of the company’s Starlink broadband satellites.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Feb 15, 2020
Delayed Northrop Grumman ISS Cargo Mission Lifts Off
The NASA-contracted Cygnus spacecraft was on course to reach the ISS with Feb. 18 following a successful liftoff from the Wallops Island Flight Facility
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Feb 14, 2020
Virgin Galactic Stock Skyrockets On Spaceship Moving To Spaceport
The budding space tourism company's publicly traded shares jumped more than 21% when investors saw a captive-carry transport flight of VSS Unity to its new commercial headquarters at Spaceport America in New Mexico.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Feb 14, 2020
Iceye Hires Terra Bella Vet To Lead U.S. Manufacturing Expansion
Satellite-based synthetic-aperture radar services provider Iceye has hired the former Google executive who led development of the Terra Bella Earth imaging constellation as its new U.S. CEO, and the move signals plans to make satellites in the U.S.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Feb 13, 2020
New $200M Investment Vehicle Targets LEO Constellation Boom
A group of software and aerospace veterans are aiming to raise and spend $200 million to offer cloud computing and data analytics to the coming explosion of low-Earth-orbit satellite-based systems.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report