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

Nov 23, 2021
Startup Astra Space Reaches Orbit On Fourth Try
Astra Space, a California-based startup staking a claim in the burgeoning small-satellite launch business, completed a successful flight test of its Rocket 3.1 booster on Nov. 20, a mission backed by the U.S. Space Force.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Nov 23, 2021
Voyager Space Buys Sat Comms Specialist Space Micro
Voyager Space, a private equity-backed holding company of new-space upstarts such as Nanoracks, announced Nov. 22 it has acquired a majority stake in Space Micro, a satellite communications specialist for NASA and the U.S. military.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Nov 21, 2021
Latest Cygnus Resupply Capsule Departs Space Station
Northrop Grumman’s 16th NASA-contracted Cygnus resupply mission capsule departed the International Space Station on Nov. 20, ending a stay of just more than three months and setting up an experiment intended to improve the modeling of spacecraft thermal protection systems.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Nov 19, 2021
New Funding To Underpin Sierra Space Growth Plan
Sierra Space’s expansive goal of developing a space transport and habitation ecosystem has received a major boost with the successful raising of a $1.4 billion Series A capital investment.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Nov 18, 2021
SpaceX Aiming For Starship Orbital Flight Test In Jan.-Feb.
SpaceX plans about a dozen flights of its super heavy-lift, reusable Starship launch system in 2022, beginning with an orbital flight test in January or February.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Nov 23, 2021
Startup Astra Space Reaches Orbit On Fourth Try
Astra Space, a California-based startup staking a claim in the burgeoning small-satellite launch business, completed a successful flight test of its Rocket 3.1 booster on Nov. 20, a mission backed by the U.S. Space Force.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Nov 23, 2021
Voyager Space Buys Sat Comms Specialist Space Micro
Voyager Space, a private equity-backed holding company of new-space upstarts such as Nanoracks, announced Nov. 22 it has acquired a majority stake in Space Micro, a satellite communications specialist for NASA and the U.S. military.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Nov 21, 2021
Latest Cygnus Resupply Capsule Departs Space Station
Northrop Grumman’s 16th NASA-contracted Cygnus resupply mission capsule departed the International Space Station on Nov. 20, ending a stay of just more than three months and setting up an experiment intended to improve the modeling of spacecraft thermal protection systems.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Nov 19, 2021
New Funding To Underpin Sierra Space Growth Plan
Sierra Space’s expansive goal of developing a space transport and habitation ecosystem has received a major boost with the successful raising of a $1.4 billion Series A capital investment.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Nov 18, 2021
SpaceX Aiming For Starship Orbital Flight Test In Jan.-Feb.
SpaceX plans about a dozen flights of its super heavy-lift, reusable Starship launch system in 2022, beginning with an orbital flight test in January or February.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Nov 18, 2021
Rocket Lab Tests Helicopter Ops For Electron Recovery
A Rocket Lab Electron rocket deployed a pair of Earth-observation satellites into orbit for BlackSky on Nov. 17, a mission that also tested helicopter operations for future midair booster recoveries.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Nov 18, 2021
NASA Awards Intuitive Machines Third Lunar Lander Mission
NASA has selected Intuitive Machines for the integration, delivery and operational oversight of four science payloads to the Moon’s Reiner Gamma in 2024 using the company’s Nova-C lander under a $77.5 million fixed-price contract.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Nov 17, 2021
Viasat To Buy Inmarsat
Two satellite giants are joining forces to further strengthen their position in airline connectivity, but also to exploit space augmentation of terrestrial 5G and communications for unmanned aerial vehicles, air taxis and delivery drones.
Advanced Air Mobility