Aerospace & Defense

The industries of aerospace and defense have gone hand in hand for decades, with advancements in one benefiting the other. 

In 2021 commercial space travel has reached a number of milestones, with three private companies sending humans to space for the first time (Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and SpaceX), and three collaborative orbital research stations announced (Starlab, Orbital Reef, and Axiom) in addition to the new Chinese station. There has been a dramatic increase in startups and investment in the space industry. Meanwhile, the United States Space Force, with an annual budget of $17.4 Billion, is focused on reliable protection of international space assets - from both physical and cyber threats. Infrastructure like GPS, space surveillance networks, and nuclear submarine monitoring help keep people safe around the world. 

The duality of space - as both a battleground and an investment opportunity - highlights just why space matters more now than ever.

References:

1. Washington Post: Rockets aren’t enough. Jeff Bezos and the growing commercial space industry now want to build space stations.

2. Space Bandits

3. CNBC: Investment in space companies exceeds $10 billion this year, a new annual record

4. Space Force News

5. NY Post: Russia shoots down satellite in ‘debris-generating event’: US Space Command

6. Fedscoop: Space Force starts transitioning cybersecurity professionals into its ranks