When the Space Development Agency announced delays to its satellite constellation in 2025, the culprit wasn’t a failed test or budget shortfall. It was something far more mundane: a critical component supplier couldn’t deliver on time, and there was no backup plan. The delay cascaded through the entire program, affecting launch schedules, integration timelines, and partner commitments. This is the hidden vulnerability in space commerce—the single point of failure that no amount of engineering excellence can overcome.
For project managers in the space industry, the decision to stick with one supplier or split orders among multiple vendors feels like a no-win situation. Qualifying a second source for flight-critical hardware can cost millions and take years. But betting everything on one company? That’s the kind of gamble that ends careers when it goes wrong. The good news is that this doesn’t have to be a gut-feel decision anymore. Risk-based frameworks can turn supplier strategy into a…
