Space Insider’s Post

Northrop Grumman's space sales have surged by 9% in the first quarter of 2024, reaching a total of $3.7 billion. This increase coincides with the company's successful reduction of backlog from a cancelled classified program. 🚀 In addition to the strong performance in the Space segment, Northrop Grumman's Aeronautics segment experienced impressive growth at 18% year-over-year. Overall, the company reported $10.1 billion in sales for Q1, marking a 9% increase compared to the previous year. It's clear that Northrop Grumman is continuing to make strides in the aerospace industry, with sales increasing across all four company segments. Read here for more information: https://lnkd.in/e-yJF2V5 #NorthropGrumman #SpaceIndustry #Aerospace #Innovation #SpaceExploration #SalesGrowth #Q1Results

DOD is ramping up its procurement of smaller, more "commercial-ish" satellites. The number of satellites DOD plans to buy in the near-term, while impressive next to current or legacy defense space systems, is still fairly modest compared to commercial constellations. Dividing these acquisition quantities among several traditional and non-traditional contractors encourages competition but sacrifices production efficiency, likely keeping unit costs higher than they could be and making these acquisitions less desirable for some companies. At some point, you've made the portion sizes too small. This is one of the tensions I explore in my recent paper on supply chains and proliferation. I'm optimistic that DOD will continue to increase its demand for proliferated systems, opening more opportunities that will help strike a sustainable balance between competition, innovation, and supplier profitability/viability. There's an opportunity for the Space Force to make this kind of analysis more integral to its acquisition policies and planning. https://lnkd.in/gmDMVhb9

💰 Lockheed Martin to Acquire Terran Orbital in $450M Deal Lockheed Martin, a U.S. aerospace and defense manufacturer, has announced its acquisition of satellite products maker Terran Orbital for $450 million, consolidating its position in the space industry. This move comes after Lockheed withdrew a previous bid to take Terran private. The acquisition will support Lockheed’s role in the U.S. Space Development Agency's tracking and transport layer programs. This deal is expected to close in Q4 2024, with plans to retire Terran’s debt and establish a $30 million working capital facility. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ga4rEiAc #SpaceIndustry #SpaceNews #Aerospace #LockheedMartin #TerranOrbital #SatelliteTech

Redwire Awarded $45 Million Contract from Air Force Research Laboratory to Advance Enhanced Space-Based Capabilities for the Warfighter https://lnkd.in/g_8xuR-A JACKSONVILLE, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)—- $RDW–Redwire Corporation (NYSE: RDW), a leader in space infrastructure for the next generation space economy, was awarded a $45,469,600, five-year cost-plus-fixed-fee contract that will be incrementally funded by the Air Force Research [...]

Space Florida, the state’s aerospace finance and development authority, closed out 2024 with a 187-project pipeline valued at $6.8 billion — an approximate 24% increase from the year before — underscoring its leadership in the global aerospace economy. Leveraging its unique structure and unmatched financial tools, Space Florida continues to set the standard for aerospace commerce. Florida’s aerospace dominance is evident in its record-breaking 90 launches in 2024, transporting over 1,300 payloads totaling 2.6 million pounds, leading America in the global integrated space-earth economy...https://lnkd.in/eAh6evRe

With an impressive number of space-related companies and jobs in Colorado, it’s no surprise that the state ranks as the second-largest aerospace economy in the United States. Earlier this year, the 39th Annual Space Symposium recognized how beneficial the aerospace and defense industries are to Colorado’s economy. The workforce in these sectors has grown 32.5% from 2017 to 2022, and with 350 aerospace and defense companies in Colorado, a collective 37,000 people are employed in this ecosystem. Take a deep dive into this sector in this Denver7 feature here ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/gyKgYz4Z

Defense Innovation Unit awards funding for sea-based launch pad - “Responsive and reliable logistics and sustainment lines of communication are essential to the Warfighter,” Austin Baker, Deputy Portfolio Director for DIU’s space portfolio, said in the statement. “ - “A sea-based launch platform is a strategically significant capability that increases equatorial launch access while enabling responsive launch coordination and avoiding high-traffic airspace,” DIU said in a May 28 statement announcing the deal. - “By prototyping commercial solutions for the delivery of cargo and other supplies to, through and from space, we will equip the Joint Force with new methods for sustainment that directly address this need and provide a unique competitive advantage.” https://lnkd.in/eMUHn4Bv 2. THE SPACEPORT COMPANY Homepage: Demand for launch is rising, and spaceports can’t keep up - On the commercial side, New Space requires a new kind of spaceport: high-cadence, fast-turnaround, cost-effective, and in close proximity to manufacturing sites. On the DoD side, responsive space requires responsive spaceports: nimble, survivable, disaggregated. Our spaceport infrastructure combines unique hardware, proprietary software, and one-of-a-kind U.S. government pre-approvals to meet these needs and enable mass transportation to and from orbit.https://thespaceportcompany.com/

Puerto Rico continues efforts to position itself within the aerospace industry, by issuing an RFP for vertical space launch facility.

Space Force Eyes New Jam-Resistant Tactical SATCOM Options Jan. 7, 2025 | By Greg Hadley Two competing prototype payloads, developed by Northrop Grumman and Boeing and both set to launch in 2025, aim to open a new era of secure, jam-resistant tactical communications.  Northrop has finished assembly and testing of its payload for the Protected Tactical SATCOM-Prototype (PTS-P) program and is now working on integrating the system onto one of its ESPAStar buses, the company said Jan. 6. Boeing is in the advanced stages of integrating its PTS-P payload with its new Wideband Global SATCOM satellite, WGS-11, a spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine.  #PhoenixDelivers https://lnkd.in/ehBRJr8C