Diversity & inclusion data in the space industry.

The pandemic is already having a significant impact on the space industry. Workforce reductions, launch and production delays, legislative process postponement and slowing lines of credit are just the most immediate and visible effects.

As the nation moves forward and recovers from the crisis, government and industry leaders have to think about how to bridge the gap between government and commercial space. Part of that involves getting the government to understand commercial space better and to change the way it looks at space as a whole, and educating the commercial sector as to how the government works.

Here are some ways the U.S. government, particularly the U.S. Space Force, can work to bridge the gap between the government and the private sector while creating a foundation for a lasting partnership that will ensure America’s continued leadership in orbit.

Consider the space enterprise as a whole

Operating in space today and well into the future is not an either-or proposition. It isn’t heavy launch or small launch. It’s not large constellations or gold plated school buses. The most effective solution in any operational domain is a blended, robust, and dynamic portfolio. We need to have small, dedicated launch that flies alongside heavy-lift flight proven rockets.