Economy
Satellites central to 2023’s record defense spending
Led by the United States with $835 billion in total defense spending, military budgets around the world grew to record levels in 2023 and appear on track for another record year in 2024, driven by increased tensions in Asia, the outbreak of war between Israel and militant groups, and the grinding conflict in Ukraine.
Commercial space revenues climb to $445 billion in 2023
Commercial space activity has grown rapidly in recent years, although definitions for this activity vary. For the purposes of this analysis, commercial space activity is defined to include products sold to private customers and efforts undertaken by private industry in which private actors take on a significant portion of the financial risk.
NASA, Boeing extract lode of data amid Starliner’s extended stay in space
Boeing Starliner Commercial Crew Module deemed safe to return astronauts to Earth for emergency return as engineers diagnose anomalies.
Ariane 6, Europe’s long-awaited launch vehicle, makes maiden flight
Ariane 6, the launch vehicle designed to ensure the European Space Agency’s access to orbit, flew from French Guiana on Tuesday, ending four years of delays with triumph.
SpaceX expanding operations, increasing launches in Southern California
SpaceX is expanding its facility and renewing its lease at the Port of Long Beach to support an increased launch cadence out of Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Boeing Starliner accomplishes first crewed launch to ISS
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral with astronauts onboard for the first time. With this success, Starliner is poised to be only the second commercial crewed vehicle that is certified to bring astronauts to the ISS.
SNAPSHOT: Global space economy
The global space economy totaled $546 billion in 2022, 8% higher than 2021 — and it could reach $772 billion by 2027, according to Space Foundation analysis.
Budget proposals deny increases to NASA, Space Force
Federal space budgets would shrink in 2025 under a March proposal issued by President Joe Biden. The budget, which comes after several years of spending increases on space programs, has been tied to NASA layoffs and program delays.
INSIGHT: LunA-10 – DARPA’s bridge to the lunar economy
For space programs and companies, the Moon looms large as a contested frontier of space access and commercialization. The cadence of attempted Moon landings is increasing.
The S-Network Space Index℠ 2023 Performance
The S-Network Space Index℠ tracks a global portfolio of publicly traded companies that are active in space-related businesses such as satellite-based telecommunications; transmission of television and radio content via satellite; launch vehicle and satellite manufacturing, deployment, operation, and maintenance; manufacturing of ground equipment that relies on satellite systems; development of space technology and hardware; and space-based imagery and intelligence services.