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

Aug 26, 2021
Startup Dawn Aerospace has completed initial test flights of a reusable suborbital spaceplane demonstrator in New Zealand.
Aug 26, 2021
Blue Origin’s reusable New Shepard suborbital rocket successfully boosted 19 experiments to the fringes of space on Aug. 26.
Aug 25, 2021
Startup Astroscale’s ELSA-d orbital debris removal demonstration has accomplished its first key goal, with the servicer satellite showing how it would capture a defunct spacecraft.
Aug 25, 2021
Startup Firefly Aerospace says plans remain on schedule to attempt the first launch of its two-stage Alpha rocket from Vandenburg SFB, California, on Sept. 2 following a successful static fire test in mid-August.
Aug 25, 2021
With support from a NASA Tipping Point technology development award, Mojave, California-based Masten is developing a suborbital aerospace testbed with an option for point-to-point payload transportation.
Aug 26, 2021
Startup Dawn Aerospace has completed initial test flights of a reusable suborbital spaceplane demonstrator in New Zealand.
Aug 26, 2021
Blue Origin’s reusable New Shepard suborbital rocket successfully boosted 19 experiments to the fringes of space on Aug. 26.
Aug 25, 2021
Startup Astroscale’s ELSA-d orbital debris removal demonstration has accomplished its first key goal, with the servicer satellite showing how it would capture a defunct spacecraft.
Aug 25, 2021
Startup Firefly Aerospace says plans remain on schedule to attempt the first launch of its two-stage Alpha rocket from Vandenburg SFB, California, on Sept. 2 following a successful static fire test in mid-August.
Aug 25, 2021
With support from a NASA Tipping Point technology development award, Mojave, California-based Masten is developing a suborbital aerospace testbed with an option for point-to-point payload transportation.
Aug 25, 2021
SpaceX is encountering shortfalls of liquid oxygen due to increased demand for oxygen by hospitals caring for COVID-19 patients.
Aug 24, 2021
NASA plans to send a wide range of science and technology investigations to the International Space Station on an upcoming SpaceX resupply mission.
Aug 23, 2021
Virgin Orbit, the airborne small-satellite rocket launch upstart that announced its intent to go public Aug. 23, apparently will build and offer a fleet of Earth-observation and internet of things (IoT) satellites starting in 2023, according to investor materials.