Why the United States Needs a National Space Industry Association (NSIA)
United States Stands at a Strategic Inflection Point
Editorial By Michael Daily, APR
There are moments in history when the course of national development demands more than individual excellence; it requires organized collaboration and strategic unity. The space industry has reached such a moment. To sustain leadership, ensure resilience, and build a truly sustainable space ecosystem, the United States space industry must establish a National Space Industry Association (NSIA)-a nonpartisan, industry-led organization modeled on the proven structure and impact of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA).
The NDIA has long demonstrated how industry coordination, professional education, and structured advocacy strengthen the national defense base. Through its divisions, councils, and policy arms, it creates a framework that unites diverse stakeholders-industry, government, and academia-under a common mission of readiness and innovation. The NSIA would serve a similar role for the space sector, not as a regulator, but as a strategic integrator of the U.S. space industrial base, ensuring that technological advancement, workforce development, and public-private alignment occur within a shared national vision.
The United States stands at a strategic inflection point. Space has evolved from a domain of exploration into a critical theater of competition and influence, shaping the nation’s military, economic, informational, and diplomatic grand strategy. The NSIA would advance these four pillars by strengthening the connective tissue that binds them-collaboration, communication, and coordination. Militarily, it would provide a professional platform through which industry and government could align priorities in defense space capabilities, deterrence, and resilience.
Economically, it would sustain growth across the commercial and industrial ecosystem by fostering entrepreneurship, investment, and workforce pipelines essential to space manufacturing, launch services, and communications sectors. Informationally, it would promote transparency, strategic communication, and public understanding of the value space brings to national prosperity and security. Diplomatically, it would help position the United States as a collaborative leader in shaping international norms of responsible conduct and sustainable space development.
To fulfill this mission, the NSIA must operate as a collaborative nexus-a structure that integrates the diversity of the space ecosystem rather than allowing it to fragment. The space sector today spans traditional aerospace, satellite communications, launch services, robotics, on-orbit servicing, Earth observation, and the emerging field of cislunar and planetary infrastructure. Each of these sectors faces unique regulatory, technical, and market challenges, yet all share a need for consistent policy advocacy, shared standards, and coordinated communication. By organizing into functional divisions and working groups-mirroring NDIA’s model-the NSIA would allow specialization without sacrificing unity.
Equally important is the NSIA’s role in building a vibrant, innovative, and sustainable space ecosystem. Such an ecosystem is not defined solely by technology or market growth; it is characterized by balance—between exploration and commerce, innovation and regulation, national interest, and international cooperation. Through education, policy coordination, and public engagement, the NSIA would ensure that sustainability is treated not as a peripheral goal but as a strategic imperative. Space debris mitigation, orbital traffic management, and responsible resource utilization must become central to how the United States defines leadership. The NSIA could serve as the forum where technical standards meet ethical foresight, ensuring that economic expansion does not come at the expense of orbital and planetary stewardship.
Yet, the establishment of such an organization is not without challenge. Coordination across competing commercial interests will require strong governance, clear bylaws, and a disciplined commitment to shared values. The diversity of stakeholders—from small startups to major aerospace primes-demands a membership structure that recognizes both scale and contribution. Funding models must balance corporate membership dues, sponsorship, and event-based revenue to preserve independence. The association’s credibility will depend on its ability to function as a convener, not a competitor-an institution that amplifies, rather than replaces, the efforts of existing associations such as the Satellite Industry Association (SIA) or the Space Foundation.
The benefits, however, far outweigh the challenges. A National Space Industry Association would strengthen the nation’s competitive position by creating a unified voice for U.S. space enterprise. It would allow for coordinated advocacy before Congress and federal agencies, support the standardization of practices across the commercial and defense sectors, and facilitate collaboration with allied nations. Moreover, by investing in education, certification, and professional development, it would prepare the next generation of communicators, engineers, and strategists who will sustain American leadership in space for decades to come.
The NDIA has shown the value of structure, mission clarity, and community in the defense industrial base. The NSIA would apply those same principles to the most dynamic frontier of human endeavor. The task before us is not simply to build an organization-it is to build a foundation for the next century of American innovation, influence, and sustainability in space. A well-structured, forward-looking NSIA would ensure that the United States not only leads in technology but leads with purpose, partnership, and permanence.
About Michael Daily, APR
Michael Daily is the founder of NewSpace Brand Builders, a strategic consultancy dedicated to advancing the branding, marketing, and communications excellence of the global space industry. With a background in brand strategy, public affairs, and community development, Daily established NewSpace Brand Builders to help organizations define their identity, strengthen their market position, and contribute to a sustainable and innovative space ecosystem. Mike can be contacted at www.newsbrandbuilders.com or mike.daily@newspacebb.com.
The views expressed are those of Mr. Daily and not necessarily those of Ex Terra Media LLC.
Selected References
National Defense Industrial Association. About NDIA: Leadership and Governance. NDIA.org.
Satellite Industry Association. Mission & Goals. SIA.org.
Space Foundation. What We Do. SpaceFoundation.org.
U.S. National Space Council. United States Space Priorities Framework. White House, 2021.
OECD. The Space Economy in Figures: How Space Contributes to the Global Economy. OECD Publishing, 2022.
Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Defense Against the Dark Arts in Space: Protecting the Space Domain. CSIS Reports, 2023.
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