Private players stake their place in space

While the US government still funds the biggest chunk of space-sector R&D, private companies are increasing their investments. Investment in new space companies now accounts for an estimated $5 billion to $6 billion per year in space R&D funding—up from less than $1 billion in 2010.

The US government continues to be the primary source of R&D spending in the space sector, but the contribution from new space companies is growing.

To read the article, see “R&D for space: Who is actually funding it?,” December 10, 2021.