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 30, 2021
NASA Pursuing Space Station Extension Despite Aging Concerns
NASA management disagrees with a conclusion reached by the agency’s inspector general (IG) in a report issued Nov. 30.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Nov 30, 2021
Airbus Pleiades Neo Sats Make Early Start In Earth Observation
Airbus has already started using its latest-generation Pleiades Neo Earth-observation satellites.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Nov 25, 2021
Astroscale Boosts Funding For On-Orbit Servicing
“This latest round of funding will dramatically accelerate our ability to make on-orbit servicing routine by 2030,” Astroscale founder and CEO Nobu Okada said.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Nov 23, 2021
Next New Shepard Crew To Include Pioneering Astronaut’s Daughter
The eldest daughter of Alan Shepard, the first American to venture into space, will fly on the Blue Origin suborbital spacecraft named after her father, the company said on Nov. 23.
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 30, 2021
NASA Pursuing Space Station Extension Despite Aging Concerns
NASA management disagrees with a conclusion reached by the agency’s inspector general (IG) in a report issued Nov. 30.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Nov 30, 2021
Airbus Pleiades Neo Sats Make Early Start In Earth Observation
Airbus has already started using its latest-generation Pleiades Neo Earth-observation satellites.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Nov 25, 2021
Astroscale Boosts Funding For On-Orbit Servicing
“This latest round of funding will dramatically accelerate our ability to make on-orbit servicing routine by 2030,” Astroscale founder and CEO Nobu Okada said.
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
Nov 23, 2021
Next New Shepard Crew To Include Pioneering Astronaut’s Daughter
The eldest daughter of Alan Shepard, the first American to venture into space, will fly on the Blue Origin suborbital spacecraft named after her father, the company said on Nov. 23.
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