2019
U.S. space private industry employment, 2014-2024
Growth in private sector space employment has largely been driven by companies involved in the manufacturing of space vehicles, including space vehicle propulsion units, and space vehicle parts and equipment. All three of these areas experienced growth from 2023 to 2024.
NASA civil servant workforce, 2014-2024
In 2024, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released a report titled, “NASA at a Crossroads,” that highlighted the importance of maintaining a talented workforce to NASA’s long-term success.
FAA licensed commercial launches, 2015-2025
The FAA licensed a record 157 commercial space flights in 2024 and estimates it could license as many as 172 this year. But top players in the space industry say the FAA lacks the money and employees it needs to keep pace with space industry growth.
Manufacturing trades enrollment at two-year schools in thousands
Technical help may be on the way. Enrollments across U.S. two-year and trade schools for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields in spring 2024 continued recovery from a low that accompanied the global coronavirus pandemic of 2020.
Office of Commercial Space Transportation budget, 2015-2025
Commercial Space Transportation budget. Since 2023, the FAA has been denied increases to fund space efforts. Instead of the $57.1 million the agency requested for space programs, it is operating on $37.5 million it got for 2024 under a continuing resolution.
Office of Commercial Space Transportation workforce, 2015-2025
Overall spending for the Office of Commercial Space Transportation has increased 225% since 2015, as licensed launches increased by 1,910%. In 2015, 106 workers in the Office of Commercial Space Transportation licensed nine launches to orbit. In 2025, the agency estimates it will license 172 launches, with 124 workers.
Manufacturing job openings in thousands, 2013-2025
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated 483,000 manufacturing job openings in February, down from a peak demand of nearly 850,000 in 2021, but still well ahead of demand a decade ago.
U.S. space private industry employment and U.S. total employment relative to 2014
Every state, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, is home to at least some private sector space workers. The 10 states with the largest space employment in 2024 include well-known space states.
Annual aerospace engineering graduates, 2014-2024
The booming space industry is creating more jobs and attracting more students to fill them. For the first time ever, Georgia Tech’s 2023 freshman class had more aerospace students than electrical or computer engineering students.
Tracked objects in orbit, in thousands, 1957-2024
Data on orbiting objects, called “the catalog” by the Defense Department, includes all 31,620 objects larger than a basketball that orbit Earth at speeds nearing 18,000 mph.10 The goal is to prevent disastrous high-speed collisions that can spread debris like killer confetti.