In The Loop

In the increasingly congested space environment, with 28,000 satellites to be launched in the next decade, adding to over 6,000 already active ones and 130 million space debris (only 35,000 of which large enough to be tracked), growing sustainability concerns are causing regulators to implement stricter rules upon satellite operators to safeguard Earth’s orbits.

Under financial strain and strong competition from SpaceX Transporter, commercial small launchers are now racing to heavy next-generation launchers they hope will open on larger markets . Indeed, after $9 billion raised in private funding since 2017, commercial small launchers hold a combined backlog of only $400 million in launch contracts and besides Rocket Lab, the next most advanced companies have launched only once or twice.