White Papers

Rocket Lab launched the final pair of TROPICS satellites for NASA on May 26, 2023, after the first two were lost in an Astra rocket failure. Even with this setback, NASA was able to begin mission operations for the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season after launching the remaining four satellites in the constellation. Credit: Rocket Lab

As launch failures grow, satellite operators are more resilient to risk

Monday April 8, 2024

Increasing annual launches and new players in the launch market have led to several notable payload delivery failures over the past few years.

A Blue Origin New Glenn launch vehicle rolls out for testing ahead of a planned 2024 maiden flight. The firm had 1,574 job openings posted in March. Credit: Blue Origin

U.S. private sector space employment shows steady growth

Monday April 8, 2024

Monitoring trends in this workforce across private, civil, and national security sectors and examining changes in wages and location of employment provides insight into broader space industry dynamics.

Growing threats from anti-satellite weapons were spotlighted in February when U.S. officials warned Congress about a Russian weapons development program targeting spacecraft with nuclear weapons.

After Russian ASAT leak, superpowers back away from showdown

Friday March 8, 2024

Growing threats from anti-satellite weapons were spotlighted in February when U.S. officials warned Congress about a Russian weapons development program targeting spacecraft with nuclear weapons.

New Lockheed Martin orders spur race for nuclear propulsion in space

Tuesday November 14, 2023

The Defense Department is taking a closer look at powering spacecraft with next-generation nuclear reactors with a pair of programs announced in recent months that test rival methods to unlock the potential fission-powered spaceflight.

While most people may think of ChatGPT or deep fake images when they hear “artificial intelligence”, AI methodologies are proving beneficial for a variety of applications, especially in data-heavy industries such as Earth observation.

As global satellite data expands, space companies rely on AI

Friday September 1, 2023

While most people may think of ChatGPT or deep fake images when they hear “artificial intelligence”, AI methodologies are proving beneficial for a variety of applications, especially in data-heavy industries such as Earth observation.

Satellites have played a pivotal role in search and rescue efforts for more than 40 years. Visionaries from around the world applied space technology to search and rescue efforts on Earth and built an enduring global humanitarian program. Satellite tracking has saved more than 57,000 people worldwide, since the system’s first rescue in 1982. With new equipment in the marketplace, its role keeps growing.

Satellite constellations weave growing global search and rescue safety net

Tuesday July 25, 2023

Satellites have played a pivotal role in search and rescue efforts for more than 40 years. Visionaries from around the world applied space technology to search and rescue efforts on Earth and built an enduring global humanitarian program. Satellite tracking has saved more than 57,000 people worldwide, since the system’s…

Space Force unveils antisatellite weapons program, reserve branch plans at Senate hearing

Tuesday May 2, 2023

Space Force leaders pulled back the veil of secrecy on one of the service’s most-secretive programs and made a push for congressional authorization of a new part-time branch during a May 2 hearing before the Senate.

Russia’s use of hypersonic weapons in Ukraine is the latest escalation in a growing arms race for missiles that can travel through the atmosphere at more than Mach 5. The U.S. and its allies are accelerating spending on hypersonic weapons development, but haven’t fielded one to date, prompting leaders to fear a missile gap. . .

Strikes in Ukraine Spotlight U.S., European Deficits in Hypersonic Arms Race

Monday April 10, 2023

Russia’s use of hypersonic weapons in Ukraine is the latest escalation in a growing arms race for missiles that can travel through the atmosphere at more than Mach 5. The U.S. and its allies are accelerating spending on hypersonic weapons development, but haven’t fielded one to date, prompting leaders to…

Born from NASA space innovation, Digital Twin technology blooms across industries

Tuesday January 24, 2023

Digital twinning is a technology with roots in the space program that’s now the beating heart of modern business, solving production, supply chain, and delivery problems before they start and giving managers unprecedented insight into operations.

U.S. Defense Strategy Document Pledges Commercial Space Protection

Wednesday October 19, 2022

In a first-of-its-kind shift in stated strategy, the Biden Administration pledged, in a document that outlines Pentagon plans, to protect growing American commercial interests in space while advancing military space capabilities and international cooperation in orbit. Military space has returned to the spotlight in recent years after a slump that…