The U.S. Space Force is moving closer to establishing a commercial reserve program aimed at leveraging private sector resources for national security. The initiative, called the Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve (CASR), would allow the military to tap into commercial space assets, such as satellites and communication systems, during crises or emergencies. Col. Richard Kniseley, who leads the Space Systems Command's Commercial Space Office, said the office is reviewing more than 80 responses to a request for information about CASR, which he said showed growing industry interest but also concerns about how CASR would be structured. One such concern is over potential "denial of service" clauses in CASR contracts that would prevent companies from working with other customers if CASR is activated. [SpaceNews]
The Space Development Agency awarded a $2 million contract to Umbra to see how its radar imaging satellites could be integrated in a future military network. Under the Small Business Innovation Research contract, SDA will evaluate the compatibility of Umbra's radar satellites with the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA), a LEO constellation being deployed by the agency to enhance battlefield intelligence and threat detection. If the study proves successful, Umbra's satellites could transmit data directly to military ground stations, where it would be processed and analyzed alongside other sources of intelligence. [SpaceNews]
Space companies will continue to struggle to raise money even as the overall investment environment improves. A panel at the Satellite Innovation conference this week said while a decline in interest rates will help support more deals, the market remains volatile for space companies, particularly those looking to raise larger, later rounds. One challenge is that many companies that raised earlier funding at high valuations now find those valuations "so far out of whack" of what the market will support today. [SpaceNews]
Diversification into other markets is key for the survival of launch companies. During another panel at Satellite Innovation, launch company executives said that investors are unlikely to back companies today focused solely on launch, citing the risks and volatility of that sector. Those executives said they are moving into other space systems, or adjacent markets like defense, to make their businesses more robust. They cited SpaceX, whose valuation has grown dramatically in recent years largely because of Starlink rather than its launch business. Reusability is also essential to the future of launch companies to enable higher launch rates and lower costs. [SpaceNews]
The Space Force is being increasingly called upon to bolster its presence in the Indo-Pacific to counter Chinese activities. Brig. Gen. Anthony Mastalir, commander of U.S. Space Forces Indo-Pacific, said at a Mitchell Institute webinar Tuesday that there is a rising need for space expertise and technology in the face of China's rapid advancements. A Space Force presence in the Indo-Pacific is becoming more relevant given the geopolitical landscape in the region, said Mastalir, pointing to an increased "demand signal" for space defense tactics, satellite services and operational expertise. That demand is sparking debate over whether the Space Force is adequately equipped to address evolving threats in the region. [SpaceNews]
China's long-term space science roadmap includes a proposal for a Venus atmosphere sample return mission. The National Space Science Medium- and Long-Term Development Plan, released last week by Chinese agencies, outlines proposals for space science missions to 2050. That plan included many missions previously discussed, but a new concept calls for a mission to collect samples of Venus's atmosphere to return to Earth. That mission is projected in phase two of the plan, from 2028 to 2035, replacing an earlier concept for a Venus orbiter. [SpaceNews]
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In this episode of Commercial Space Transformers, SpaceNews Senior Staff Writer Jason Rainbow speaks with Chris Moran, Vice President and General Manager, Lockheed Martin Ventures (LMV). LMV is Lockheed Martin's Venture Capital arm and about a third of its portfolio is invested in space. Some of its most notable space Investments include launchers Rocket Lab and ABL Space. LMV also initially invested in satellite maker Terran Orbital, which is now in the process of being sold to Lockheed Martin. |
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