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 13, 2022
SpaceX Spared New Environmental Assessment For Boca Chica Ops
SpaceX has some more work to do before it will receive U.S. clearance to launch Starship on an orbital flight test from Boca Chica Beach, Texas, the FAA has determined in its long-awaited study assessing the program’s environmental impacts.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Jun 13, 2022
NASA Hurricane-Tracking Cubesats Lost In Launch Accident
NASA’s gamble on a startup launch company to deliver a pair of novel hurricane-probing cubesats into orbit got off to a rough start on June 12 after the upper stage of an Astra 3.3 rocket shut down early, dooming the first two members of the agency’s Tropics constellation.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Jun 13, 2022
Lockheed Adds Inovor For JP9102 Australian Military Satellite Bid
Lockheed Martin has added Australian small satellite-maker Inovor Technologies under the so-called Hosted Missions Program for the JP9102 military satellite project.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Jun 12, 2022
Russia Agrees To Station Crew Seat Exchange
The Russian government has cleared state-owned Roscosmos to sign a long-delayed agreement with NASA for cosmonauts to fly on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsules in exchange for astronauts joining Russian Soyuz crews. 
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Jun 02, 2022
Ursa Major Offering New Arroway Rocket Engine
Startup propulsion company Ursa Major announced June 2 that it is offering a 200,000 lb. thrust liquid oxygen and methane staged-combustion rocket engine called Arroway.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Jun 13, 2022
SpaceX Spared New Environmental Assessment For Boca Chica Ops
SpaceX has some more work to do before it will receive U.S. clearance to launch Starship on an orbital flight test from Boca Chica Beach, Texas, the FAA has determined in its long-awaited study assessing the program’s environmental impacts.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Jun 13, 2022
NASA Hurricane-Tracking Cubesats Lost In Launch Accident
NASA’s gamble on a startup launch company to deliver a pair of novel hurricane-probing cubesats into orbit got off to a rough start on June 12 after the upper stage of an Astra 3.3 rocket shut down early, dooming the first two members of the agency’s Tropics constellation.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Jun 13, 2022
Lockheed Adds Inovor For JP9102 Australian Military Satellite Bid
Lockheed Martin has added Australian small satellite-maker Inovor Technologies under the so-called Hosted Missions Program for the JP9102 military satellite project.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Jun 12, 2022
Russia Agrees To Station Crew Seat Exchange
The Russian government has cleared state-owned Roscosmos to sign a long-delayed agreement with NASA for cosmonauts to fly on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsules in exchange for astronauts joining Russian Soyuz crews. 
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Jun 02, 2022
Ursa Major Offering New Arroway Rocket Engine
Startup propulsion company Ursa Major announced June 2 that it is offering a 200,000 lb. thrust liquid oxygen and methane staged-combustion rocket engine called Arroway.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Jun 01, 2022
Kleos Space Wins USN Contract For Geolocation Tracking Experiment
The U.S. Navy has signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Kleos Space to provide radio frequency geolocation data as part of an experiment.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
May 31, 2022
Sierra, Spirit Partner On Shooting Star Cargo Module
Sierra Space and Spirit AeroSystems have signed a strategic partnership to improve production efficiency and assembly of Sierra Space’s Shooting Star cargo module. The letter of intent covers the development and production of future Shooting Star cargo modules. Sierra Space and Spirit AeroSystems will also work together to find ways to speed up the time it takes to bring Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser family of spaceplanes to market, the companies said on May 31.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
May 27, 2022
Astroscale Gets Nearly $16M From Europe For Elsa-M Servicer
Astroscale will build its Elsa-M satellite servicer for European customers and perhaps others with the goal of a late-2024 launch after a €14.8 million ($15.9 million) infusion via a European Space Agency and OneWeb alliance.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report