The Journal of Space Commerce
Weekly Review
If You Blink, You Might Miss a Rocket Launch
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If You Blink, You Might Miss a Rocket Launch

Some of the Top Stories from The Journal of Space Commerce This Week

The 24th edition of the Novaspace annual Government Space Programs (GSP) report reveals that global government space investments reached approximately $135 billion in 2024, a 10% increase compared to 2023. Defense spending, now the majority of budgets at $73 billion (54%), underscores space’s growing importance as a contested and strategic domain.

The widening gap underscores the growing emphasis on defense-focused space programs, as space emerges as a pivotal domain for achieving strategic autonomy alongside maritime, aerial, and cyber arenas. On the civil side, Human Spaceflight remains the largest category of global government space investment in 2024. Traditionally, leading spacefaring nations and organizations have dominated the budgets for crewed and uncrewed scientific missions and exploration programs. However, this trend is evolving as more countries recognize the strategic and economic advantages of participating in space exploration activities.

The Government Space Programs report anticipates a deceleration in the growth of public space expenditures in the coming years. Faced with fiscal pressures such as economic constraints and competing policy priorities, Novaspace projects that government space budgets will stabilize, growing at a modest rate of approximately 1% annually through the end of the decade.

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As an example of that government interest in space, the UK Government has invested £20 million, or just under $25 million, in spaceflight company Orbex as part of its Series D fundraising. The investment comes as the UK government vows to develop Britain’s mission to regularly launch into orbit from its shores using UK-manufactured rockets, supporting growth in its expanding space industry and attracting investment from across the globe.

Orbex is developing both small and medium sized space rockets, and initial launch operations will take place from SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland. The company expects to launch its first Prime rocket towards the end of 2025.

In addition to the UK Government, the Export & Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO), Octopus Ventures and private investor Sohaib Abbasi have also contributed to Series D so far. The total raised currently stands at £23 million (≈$28.6 million).

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If you thought there were a lot or rocket launches last year, you were right. The Space Report 2024 Q4 has been released by The Space Foundation, showing a record number of launch attempts for the fourth consecutive year. The 259 launches in 2024 occurred an average of one every 34 hours, five hours more frequently than in 2023. The launch pace will likely continue to grow in 2025, with launch operators planning site improvements, more frequent launches, and the first flights of 24 launch vehicles, according to the report.

Despite the increase in launches, spacecraft deployments in 2024 dropped 3% to 2,802. Still, total mass brought to orbit increased 40% to 1.9 million kilograms as operators transitioned to heavier satellites, including SpaceX’s Starlink v2 mini. SpaceX was a primary driver of launch and spacecraft trends, launching 152 times, deploying almost 2,000 Starlink satellites, and test launching the Starship vehicle four times. Military spacecraft deployments increased 86% in 2024 as SpaceX launched more than 100 satellites for the NRO’s Starshield constellation.

The growing space economy highlights the need for a robust education-to-industry pipeline. Schools, government agencies, and space companies are working to grow STEM engagement and students’ interest in space. Industry and academic partnerships show a growing trend and preference for active learning environments with more hands-on experience and internships for students planning to enter the space workforce.

To better track the growing number of objects in Earth’s orbit and prevent devastating collisions, the U.S. Department of Commerce has begun trials of its new TraCSS system. This program combines data from private companies with Defense Department capabilities to monitor satellite movements and debris-generating events.

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NASA and its international partners have approved the crew for Axiom Space’s fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, launching from the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida no earlier than spring 2025.

The international Ax-4 crew will launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and travel to the space station. Once docked, the private astronauts plan to spend up to 14 days aboard the orbiting laboratory, conducting a mission comprised of science, outreach, and commercial activities. Commanded by Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and now director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, the mission will send the first ISRO astronaut to the station as part of a joint effort between NASA and the Indian space agency. The private mission also carries the first astronauts from Poland and Hungary to stay aboard the space station.

Axiom is developing its own private space station which it hopes will be a contender to replace the ISS when it is retired and de-orbited.

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Over at Sierra Space, which is also developing a private space station concept with its LIFE habitat, a spacecraft that the company hopes will one day transport astronauts to that station has passed a key milestone for cargo resupply missions to ISS. Dream Chaser spaceplane has successfully completed and passed its Joint Test 10B milestone in collaboration with NASA.

The test demonstrated several capabilities of Dream Chaser, including its ability to power-on, air-cool, and exchange data with multiple powered payloads inside its pressurized cabin.

The successful completion of this milestone confirms that Dream Chaser will accommodate various payloads. The Joint Test 10B test demonstrated that Sierra Space can provide power within a specific voltage range and maintain the necessary environmental requirements for payloads. It also ensured all vehicle and payload data are seen in both Sierra Space’s mission control room in Louisville, Colorado, and in the payload support control rooms at NASA’s Marshall Spaceflight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

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And Voyager Technologies has announced that it has confidentially submitted a draft registration statement on Form S-1 to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") relating to the proposed initial public offering of its common stock.

The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the proposed offering have not yet been determined. The initial public offering is subject to market and other conditions and the completion of the SEC's review process.

And those are some of the top stories from The Journal of Space Commerce this week. I'm Tom Patton.

Other stories you may have missed this week:

Spain's Next-Generation Secure Communications Satellite Launched

"Full Success" Achieved for Gitai 16U-Sized Satellite

Astroscale Japan Selected to Develop In-Space Refueling Technologies

Next New Shepard Mission will Mimic the Moon’s Gravity

Lunar Logistics Study Contract Awarded to Intuitive Machines

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