The first half of 2021 marked the highest January-June launch tempo in five years, with 61 launches attempted. That puts the year on track to become the most prolific launch year since the 1980s. Of the 2021 launches, only two failed, putting this year on track for the lowest failure rate since 2018. The first…

Introduction | Half the world is gearing up for warm, sunny weather as the Northern Hemisphere heads into summer. The comfort and eye protection provided by sunglasses make them a staple for many. However, most people might not realize that the technology that supplies us with durable, protective lenses — now used by several eyeglass…

The global space economy reached a new high of nearly $447 billion in 2020, an increase of 4.4% from a revised 2019 figure of $428 billion. Commercial space revenue continued to total nearly 80% of this year’s space spending.  Commercial revenue is divided into two sectors: Products and Services and Infrastructure and Support Industries. For…

The first attempts to reach Mars began more than 60 years ago, when the former Soviet Union launched two probes to Mars. Both failed to reach Earth orbit. The success of China’s Tianwen-1 and the United Arab Emirates’ Hope orbiter in February, along with the success of the United States’ Perseverance and Ingenuity mission, means…

Introduction | The U.S. Space Force (USSF) has marked its first anniversary and secured a public affirmation from President Biden’s administration that the nation’s newest military branch will endure, allowing Space Force leadership to confidently move forward with their mission. From the outset, the U.S. Space Force had a daunting charge: Assume responsibility for multiple…

In 2020 alone, NASA and its international partner, the European Space Agency, approved contracts with maximum values worth more than $11.5 billion for landers, crew transport, space modules and scientific equipment in preparation for the Artemis mission. By the end of 2021, nine countries expect to have landers or rovers exploring for ice and water,…

Driven by the pace of SpaceX and OneWeb as the two companies build out their low Earth orbit (LEO) broadband constellation networks, communications satellite deployments in 2020 climbed 477% from 2019. Thousands more satellites will join SpaceX and OneWeb as these companies and their competitors carry out their plans. One LEO broadband operator is already…

Here’s a snapshot from the upcoming Q4 edition of The Space Report 2020, which will be released within the month. Major launch trends for 2020: Despite the pandemic-related halts in space operations, all countries and cooperative bodies with dedicated active orbital launch vehicles conducted launch activities in 2020. The number of launches conducted annually has…

Reduced costs and increased service performance are the drivers for today’s satellite internet systems. Innovation in the U.S. manufacturing and launch industries is making this possible. There is a stark difference when comparing Iridium of the 1990s to today’s Starlink. The setup cost for Iridium’s original 77 satellites, which began launching in 1997, was about…