Ex Terra: The Journal of Space Commerce

Space Florida is a leading aerospace economic development organization dedicated to strengthening Florida's position as a global leader in aerospace research, investment, exploration, and commerce. As the state's premier aerospace agency, Space Florida is committed to attracting and expanding the next generation of space industry businesses. On this edition of The Ex Terra Podcast, Tom Patton talks with Rob Long, president and CEO of Space Florida. He was named to the position last year following the retirement of Frank DiBello. Rob has over 25 years of leadership experience in the aerospace industry. His expertise spans launch operations, logistics, and spaceport management. His strategic vision aims to position Florida as a global hub for aerospace commerce. "We are definitely engaged from the start-up side, we do a lot with capital accelerator programs, we work with Florida Venture Forum and other similar organizations to male sure we're involved in some of those early aerospace companies. Small mid-cap companies to the largest Fortune 500 companies. We have the ability to deal with all of those," Long said.

On this edition of The Ex Terra Podcast, Tom Patton talks with Kevin Stadnyk, co-founder and CEO of Obruta Space Solutions. Obruta Space Solutions is a Canadian company specializing in space robotics and technologies. Their mission revolves around enabling satellite servicing and addressing the challenges of space debris removal. The company does not build hardware for those tasks, but rather develops the software that will eventually allow such spacecraft to operate autonomously. The company is developing a rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking (RPOD) system. With this "RPOD Kit", Obruta enables orbital service providers to perform services such as on-orbit refueling, life-extension, and debris removal—services which exponentially increase a space asset's value. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station are currently conducting ROPD experiments in preparation for free-flying test in the future "There will be humans in the loop for the initial and foreseeable future in some capacity," Stadnyk said. "Similar to self-driving cars, the end goal is reaching full autonomy, but we know that it's not realistic to start this whole technology by being fully autonomous. It's just won't be safe enough, it won't be reliable enough." Kevin holds two degrees in aerospace engineering and a background focused on satellite attitude control, orbital mechanics, and space debris removal technologies.

On this edition of The Ex Terra Podcast, Tom Patton talks with Matt George and Josh Foerschler of Burns & McDonnell, a design/build company with expertise constructing facilities for the space industry. Josh Foerschler is Business Development Lead for space-related facilities, and Matt George serves as a project manager for space-related facilities at Burns & McDonnell. The company's portfolio includes a 125,000 sq.ft. facility for Intuitive Machines, which recently landed a spacecraft on the Moon. Incorporated into the design are advanced manufacturing and production spaces, 3D printing areas, machine shops, research and development laboratories, clean rooms, and large-scale spacecraft assembly areas. Unique to the facility are mission control rooms to track and manage lunar missions, and a propulsion test facility to assess lunar lander engine capabilities. The space also includes offices, meeting areas, conference rooms and other amenities for both Intuitive Machines and its partners/tenants. "We built them basically an engine testing verification facility on Houston spaceport. They call it "The Flame Range" or "The Rocket Petting Zoo"," Foerschler said.

The Innovative Launch, Automation, Novel Materials, Communications, and Hypersonics Hub (iLAuNCH) program is a collaboration of regionally based institutions, led by the University of Southern Queensland with The Australian National University, and the University of South Australia. On this edition of The Ex Terra Podcast, Tom Patton talks with Dr. Joni Sytsma, Chief Technology Officer of iLAuNCH. The effort is part of the Australian Government’s Trailblazer Universities Program delivered by the Department of Education. Through this program, the Australian Government will build new research capabilities, driving commercialization outcomes and investing in new industry engagement opportunities. "I like to think I'm building the science fiction future," Dr. Sytsma said. "And my science fiction future has space cities, and space travel as an everyday thing." A total of $370.3 million will be invested from 2022–2026 to build additional capacity to focus on the problems that matter to the nation by driving research excellence and real-world impact. Six Australian universities will become leaders in research commercialisation, with dedicated investment in priority areas. Each Trailblazer university will receive $50 million, which will be matched by university and industry partner contributions.

On this edition of The Ex Terra Podcast, Tom Patton talks with James Perry, Executive VP of ASTERRA, a company providing data-driven solutions for water utilities, government agencies, and the broader infrastructure industry. Their expertise lies in leak detection, infrastructure analysis, and soil characteristics monitoring. Based in Israel with offices in San Diego, CA, ASTERRA develops innovative tools to enhance water management and infrastructure resilience using geospatial data. The company provides a number of industries with intelligence and insights from beneath the surface of their largest installations. Without breaking ground, ASTERRA uses patented algorithms and artificial intelligence to detect leaks, assess pipes, and locate moisture near major installations. James Perry has spent over thirty years driving disruptive innovation. In both start-ups and Fortune 500 companies, James’ key mission is market adoption and to achieve a deeper foothold into new markets. James currently serves as the VP for Business Development at ASTERRA, based in San Diego, CA. In his free time James likes to sail out of the Mission Bay Yacht Club in San Diego and held the position of Commodore in 2016. "What we're able to do is break down the ecosystem of maintaining water supply where leakage is causing non-revenue water challenges," Perry said.

GITAI Robotics is a space robotics startup that aims to provide safe and affordable labor in space while reducing operational costs by two orders of magnitude. The company is developing highly capable, safe, and reliable robots for ISAM (In-space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing) services, including building and maintaining satellites, as well as space stations, lunar bases, and cities on Mars. The GITAI Robotics S-2 robotic arm was recently transported to the International Space Station for a demonstration mission, and the company was also selected for the DARPA 10 program last month. Nakanose said that the arm can be useful in relieving highly-trained from repetitive chores such as cleaning and routine maintenance. "Of course its important, but we can replace that kind of daily chores ... or dangerous operations ... with robots, robotic technologies," he said. How does what happens in space affect your everyday life? The Ex Terra podcast is dedicated to introducing you to many of the interesting people involved in the commercial space industry, and taking you behind the scenes with many of the companies making significant contributions to the new space economy. The podcast is available on Anchor, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audible, Breaker, Overcast, Pocketcasts and Radio Public.

Last year saw the largest number of rocket launches, the largest mass to orbit ever achieved, and a wide variety of space missions by a growing number of countries and companies. In short, it’s getting busy up there. So how can we keep ourselves safe and free from collision and conflict? Robin Dickey is a space policy and strategy analyst at The Aerospace Corporation’s Center for Space Policy and Strategy. She focuses on national security, space, geopolitics, and international relations. She recently published a paper titled “(Space) Ships Passing in the Night: Translating Maritime Rules of the Road for the Space Domain” which sheds light on this situation. "Some of these maritime domain principals help make it easier to make the interactions between different satellites and different satellite operators more regular, more predictable, less risky, and all of those things can help ensure in the long term that commerce in space is able to flourish," Dickey said. How does what happens in space affect your everyday life? The Ex Terra podcast is dedicated to introducing you to many of the interesting people involved in the commercial space industry, and taking you behind the scenes with many of the companies making significant contributions to the new space economy. The podcast is available on Anchor, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audible, Breaker, Overcast, Pocketcasts and Radio Public.

Young entrepreneurs will be the future of space commerce, just as they are in most industries.On this edition of the Ex Terra Podcast, Tom Patton talks with Madison Feehan, who is leading multiple space commerce efforts … one that is involved in looking at ways to build on the Moon, and the other working on advanced space robotics and STEM education. "In Junior High School I created a 3D CAD model prototype for a Mars habitat that was created using 3D printers. That didn't actually take off." Madison Feehan At just 20 years old, Madison is the COO of Space Copy, and the co-founder and CFO of Moon Trades. Space Copy is the first multi-purpose interplanetary manufacturing device that combines lunar regolith sampling, spectral data analysis, and 3D printing into one mechanism. Space Copy works to reduce the costs of frequent payload service missions, and well as reduce the amount of pollution and debris emitted by continuous resupply missions sent to the lunar surface to sustain long-term human presence by providing an in-situ resource utilization technology to be used directly on the Moon and Mars to create supplies needed to sustain human life. "In Junior High School I created a 3D CAD model prototype for a Mars habitat that was created using 3D printers. I actually submitted it to NASA to see if anyone was intersted in developing the theory into an actual technology. That didn't actually take off," Madison said. "And when I was 16 I was approached by the same NASA office that I had previously sent that project off to, and they offered me a contract position to review some innovations for science instruments that were being developed for terrestrial and Lunar use." Moon Trades is a global consortium designing lunar robotics for mining and AI space education for STEM enthusiasts. In her "spare" time, Madison advises young people considering STEM and space careers. Madison is a graduate of Harvard Business School ('22) - Entrepreneurship Essentials (2021), Negotiation Mastery (2022), Disruptive Strategy (2022); Comprehensive Certificate of Specialization in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from Harvard Business School Online, class of 2022. The Ex Terra Podcast has been named one of the Internet's top 15 Space Business Podcasts by Feedspot. We hope you'll subscribe to stay up to date on Space Commerce through our interviews with leaders in the industry. On a programming note, this is our final podcast to 2023. We'll return in January. We wish you all an outstanding holiday season.

Arcfield was launched as a stand-alone company in 2021, but it has a long history in the aerospace industry dating back to 1957. The company was created to serve a single purpose: to solve the most complex and demanding national security and space-related challenges. "We do an analysis every year of what our mission partners need, both government and commercial." Kevin Kelly, Arcfield On this edition of The Ex Terra Podcast, Tom Patton talks with Kevin Kelly, CEO of Arcfield. Recently, Arcfield announced the acquisition of Orion Space Solutions, a company that applies fundamental space physics knowledge to solve real-world problems encountered in the space environment. "We do an analysis every year of what our mission partners need, both government and commercial. We identify what those gap areas are. If it has capabilities that we feel we need to make part of Archfield's enterprise, we can either buy it or build it," Kelly said. Kevin Kelly has been an active leader in the defense and intelligence industry for more than 30 years with proven success leading and managing companies through growth activities. He is passionate about innovation and ensuring that a company leverages its people, processes and technologies to its maximum potential to deliver for its customers. Prior to Arcfield, Kevin was the CEO of LGS Innovations, a privately held independent technology company that was eventually acquired by CACI International in March of 2019. After its acquisition, Kevin oversaw the company’s integration into CACI through the company’s creation of a new high-tech sector (National Security and Innovation Solutions Sector), where Kevin would ultimately serve as president. In this role, Kevin oversaw the operations of a $2B business consisting of the technology and products portions of several key acquisitions; namely LGS Innovations, SIX3 Systems, TICOM Geomatics, and L3 NSS.

Sateliot is the first satellite operator to offer IoT or Internet of Things connectivity over standard 5G Narrow Band-IoT. Their constellation serves as cell towers in space, expanding mobile operator coverage and providing global connectivity to unmodified commercial terrestrial devices wherever they are. "Everything is going to take some time to be in the hands of everyone everywhere. But it's going to happen, and that's the revolutionary thing." Gianluca Redolfi, Sateliot On this edition of The Ex Terra Podcast, Tom Patton talks With Gianluca Redolfi, Chief Commercial Officer of Barcelona, Spain-based Sateliot. "What we are providing from the satellites is an extension of the current coverage," Redolfi said. "Because in many ... use cases, they do not have connectivity." In April of this year, Sateliot launched the first of its planned 250-satellite constellation. "Groundbreaker" is a 22-pound spacecraft that will allow users to seamlessly switch from a terrestrial to a non-terrestrial 5G network, with no need to purchase any extra hardware, such as antennas or modems. Also, they can keep using their current sim cards and mobile operators, thanks to the standard roaming agreements carried out by Sateliot. This eases the way to a massive Internet of Things adoption worldwide. "Everything is going to take some time to be in the hands of everyone everywhere," Redolfi said. "But it's going to happen, and that's the revolutionary thing."

Space launches have become very common, in fact, multiple times a week is now the norm. Each launch takes a well choreographed set of operations to get payload to space. But what goes on behind the scenes to make this happen? On this edition of The Ex Terra Podcast, Tom Patton talks with Laura Crabtree, CEO of Epsilon3. Current mission tools are neglected in a program lifecycle, creating inefficiency, errors, and added costs over the course of a project. Epsilon3 arms operators with the best possible tools throughout an entire project’s lifecycle, which result in 10X more efficiency and operator-friendliness. "The operator is not going off to do analysis. They need information in front of them quickly. So, how do we give them information quickly? You want to string together what happened yesterday, what happened two weeks ago, with what's going to happen tomorrow, and if you have everything on one platform, you have the string to do that," Crabtree said. A graduate of the University of Southern California, Laura worked at both SpaceX and Northrop Grumman Corporation prior to co-founding Epsilon3 with Max Mednik.

On this edition of The Ex Terra Podcast, Tom Patton talks with Justus Parmar, founder of Fortuna Investments. Parmar founded the private investment firm in 2015 to develop long-term partnerships with changemaking entrepreneurs in emerging industries. Fortuna specializes in venture capital investments and has raised over $500 million for more than 125 companies since its founding. Space is one of the target areas of investment for Parmar, and the company recently invested in Starfighters in Space, which owns and operates a fleet of F-104 aircraft that can launch payloads into space flying at Mach 2. Still, Parmar is cautious about the current environment when it comes to investing in the commercial space sector. "I think we're in the thick of winter. At some point in time it's going to turn around. It'll be spring. Whether that's late next year or the following year is to be determined, but it will thaw out." Parmar is an award-winning venture capitalist with over 15 years of public market experience. As the Founder and CEO of Fortuna Investments, he leads a team with offices in Miami, Los Angeles, and Vancouver that focuses on investing and creating the emerging technologies and industries of tomorrow. He has helped to raise more than $500 million for 125 early-stage companies and facilitated the initial public offering (IPO) of 24 companies. Several of his investment companies have reached a market capitalization of $1-billion in value.

Phantom Space Corporation was founded to change the way satellites and other assets are transported into space, through space, and ultimately back to Earth. The company's approach of offering of launch, propulsion, and satellite solutions enables a widening demographic to access space, space technology, and space data. This time on The Ex Terra Podcast, Tom Patton talks with Mark Lester, COO of Phantom Space, about how the satellite launch business is evolving, and Phantom's role in that business. The company is developing two launch vehicles and has a proven track record of successful satellite programs, spacecraft design, and launch missions. The launch vehicles are built around proven components so as to be more cost-effective to launch. "You see changing expectations. The bar used to be 'get to space and you're one of a few.' Now, it's not only get to space but do it over and over again in a very reliable, dependable way." How does what happens in space affect your everyday life? The Ex Terra podcast is dedicated to introducing you to many of the interesting people involved in the commercial space industry, and taking you behind the scenes with many of the companies making significant contributions to the new space economy. The podcast is available on Anchor, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audible, Breaker, Overcast, Pocketcasts and Radio Public.

In this third and final installment of our series looking at geopolitics in Asia and Space Commerce, Tom Patton talks with Dr. Namrata Goswami about space commerce in India, and the influence of political and economic factors in the country. India has been on a roll in space, most recently with the landing of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft at the south pole of the Moon. India is also actively supporting the private commercialization of space, with some 140 space startup companies currently helping building the space infrastructure there. Dr. Goswami brings her unique insights into the space programs of her native country developed through extensive study of the topic, including research on the ground in India. Dr. Goswami goes in-depth into the Modi government, India's historic stance as a non-aligned country, and how India is now gravitating towards the United States in terms of collaboration in space, as well as insights coming out of the G-20 Summit which had space as a topic of discussion. "The fact that India has taken a decision to move funding to the private sector ... to build rockets and to build satellites and to build propulsion systems ... means that India's future in terms of space startups is pretty exciting," Dr. Goswami said. Dr. Goswami is an author, professor, strategic analyst and consultant on Great Power Politics, Space Policy, Alternate Futures, and Frameworks of Conflict Negotiation and Resolution. She is currently working on a book project "China's Grand Strategy and The Notion of Territoriality and Resources" and a second project on conceptualizing a space power matrix answering a key question: what makes a country a space power?

A Conversation with Global Security Consultant Dr. Namrata Goswami In this second in our series of podcasts on international relations and space commerce, Tom Patton talks with Dr. Namrata Goswami about the current state of China's space program. "Today, China has about 140 space startups. Several of them have already launched to orbit." Dr. Namrata Goswami China has over the past several years landed multiple spacecraft on the Moon and returned regolith samples back to Earth. Additionally, they have launched, assembled and manned the Tiangong space station. According to CMSA, which operates the space station, the purpose and mission of Tiangong is "to develop and gain experience in spacecraft rendezvous technology, permanent human operations in orbit, long-term autonomous spaceflight of the space station, regenerative life support technology and autonomous cargo and fuel supply technology." According to the China Aerospace Studies Institute, over the past 20 year the relationship between China and Russia has transitioned from "a relationship of convenience" to what both countries call a “comprehensive strategic partnership.” What are the ramifications for Space Commerce in the U.S.? According to Dr. Goswami, China is taking a different approach to commercial space activities than Russia. "Today, China has about 140 space startups. Several of them have already launched to orbit. Now, what they are talking about is that they're going to build a commercial spaceport," she said. Dr. Goswami is an author, professor, strategic analyst and consultant on Great Power Politics, Space Policy, Alternate Futures, and Frameworks of Conflict Negotiation and Resolution. She is currently working on a book project "China's Grand Strategy and The Notion of Territoriality and Resources" and a second project on conceptualizing a space power matrix answering a key question: what makes a country a space power?

On this edition of The Ex Terra Podcast, Tom Patton talks with Global Security Consultant Namrata Goswami concerning US-Russia policy and how it ties into space commerce. This is the first in a series of three podcasts with Ms. Goswami, looking at our relationships with Russia, China and India related to space commerce. "I do not see someone like Elon Musk being able to succeed or innovate in that environment." Namrata Goswami On Sunday, Russia lost its Luna 25 spacecraft when it crashed while attempting to land on the surface of the Moon. The country is consumed with its war in Ukraine, and it has openly stated that it plans to leave the International Space Station partnership in the next few years, and has been collaborating with China on potential joint space exploration. Still, a Russian Cosmonaut will fly to the ISS on the Crew-7 mission scheduled to launch early Friday morning. Affect of US-Russia Policy on Space Commerce So how does US-Russia policy affect space commerce, and is there an analog to Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos in Russia that could spur a commercial space industry in Russia? "Given the fact that Roscosmos likes centralization, do not want to give up power, very much dictates the organization of Russian (space) firms, I do not see someone like Elon Musk being able to succeed or innovate in that environment," Goswami said. According to Goswami, economic pressure including sanctions related to the war are forcing Russia to take more of a supporting role in its relationships with China and India as it relates to space. And India, with its recent signing of The Artemis Accords, which Russia opposed, is seen to be moving closer to the US when it comes to space. All of that and more will be discussed this week, and in the following two podcasts. How does what happens in space affect your everyday life? The Ex Terra podcast is dedicated to introducing you to many of the interesting people involved in the commercial space industry, and taking you behind the scenes with many of the companies making significant contributions to the new space economy. The podcast is available on Anchor, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audible, Breaker, Overcast, Pocketcasts and Radio Public.

There is a great deal of work being done in the arena of manufacturing in space. Many of the companies working to place private space stations in orbit say that manufacturing is one of the functions that can make them commercially viable. Aboard the ISS, several additive manufacturing … or 3D printing … processes have been studied. On this edition of The Ex Terra Podcast, Tom Patton talks with Ryan Elliott, Co-Founder and CEO of In Orbit Aerospace, a company building the orbital infrastructure to create new and improved products in microgravity, and deliver them back to Earth. Manufacturing in space can be beneficial in many areas, ranging from creating new pharmaceuticals and improved semiconductors to fiber optics and 3D bioprinting. In Orbit Aerospace is taking a new approach to manufacturing in space, acting as an intermediary to transport equipment and materials in space, and returning them to Earth. "We want to be the third-party logistics provider for manufacturers who want to make these products in orbit," Elliott said. "We provide them the transportation, the power, the data and the return back to the ground." In Orbit Aerospace plans to be able to take manufacturing equipment and raw materials to both crewed space stations and autonomous facilities. Manufacturing in space has been going on since the days of Skylab. But it has been mostly government funded. Now, Elliott says, the dynamic is changing, and the private sector is taking a much larger role in the sector. In Orbit Aerospace has already signed its first customer, which Elliott was not a liberty to divulge now, but he did say that it's a biotech firm. That mission is currently targeted for launch in October 2024 aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. How does what happens in space affect your everyday life? The Ex Terra podcast is dedicated to introducing you to many of the interesting people involved in the commercial space industry, and taking you behind the scenes with many of the companies making significant contributions to the new space economy. The podcast is available on Anchor, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audible, Breaker, Overcast, Pocketcasts, Radio Public, and most other podcasting platforms.

Like all businesses, space companies face challenges in recruitment and professional development. How do companies in the industry address those issues? On this edition of The Ex Terra Podcast, Tom Patton talks with Christopher Allen, co-founder and COO of Nova Space, which has just introduced a new program to help in that area. Nova Space Inc. offers organizations placement services from true space professionals, with decades of experience working across government, DoD, and commercial space. And, since space requires a complex and diverse set of skills and experiences for every project and mission, the Nova Space program offers digital learning paths, digital credential programs, and custom learning development to meet those specific needs. In addition to recruitment and professional development, the program focuses on marketing its clients' organizations to potential customers and employees. Christopher Allen has more than 15 years of experience in software marketing and engineering management ranging from digital marketing to enterprise grade cloud-based subscription services. Recruitment and Professional Development Challenges On the podcast, Christopher discusses some of the unique challenges faced by space companies in recruitment and professional development, such as the value to companies looking for talent and the people hoping to fill those jobs. He also delves into the changing role of universities in preparing the next generation of space entrepreneurs and developing the skillsets of the talent pool needed to make space commerce a reality. "For space to be sustainable at its current rate of innovation opportunity, we really need to expand who's available to work in that space," Allen said. How does what happens in space affect your everyday life? The Ex Terra podcast is dedicated to introducing you to many of the interesting people involved in the commercial space industry, and taking you behind the scenes with many of the companies making significant contributions to the new space economy. The podcast is available on Anchor, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audible, Breaker, Overcast, Pocketcasts and Radio Public.

The government and defense sectors are crucial to space commerce. Government and defense contracts are regularly awarded to private space companies to supply technology related to propulsion, communications, Earth observation and a host of other verticals. "We're put in a point in time where we need to think about non-traditionals that are extremely important. Because non-traditionals are the ones who might have something extremely innovative." Nino Marcantonio On this edition of The Ex Terra Podcast, Tom Patton talks with Nino Marcantonio, CEO and Senior DoD Strategic Tech Advisor of Marcantonio Global. As the pace of change in technology continues to accelerate at a very fast pace, it is important is for individuals, companies and the government to keep pace with this change. Typhoon, as he was commonly known, recognizes the powerful metaphor of the Roman Centurions, the elite warriors of their time who played a crucial role in expanding and safeguarding the empire. He likenes their unwavering dedication and stoic virtues to the values necessary for the protection and advancement of American and Western culture. Centurions Program Develops Space Commerce Companies Marcantonio developed the Centurions Program to identify and train exceptional individuals and help them through the maze of securing defense and government contracts. Many of these individuals are engaged in space commerce, which is critical in this new era of space-based defense and information technology. "We're put in a point in time where we need to think about non-traditionals that are extremely important. Because non-traditionals are the ones who might have something extremely innovative," Marcantonio said. Nino Marcantonio has over 15 years of experience in the U.S. Federal, Defense, and Homeland Security mission space. Marcantonio Global co-founded the Defense Technology Innovation Program (DTIP) which aims to address critical shortfalls in the Defense Industrial Base by accessing innovative technologies from non-traditional defense contractors and non-profit research institutions. How does what happens in space affect your everyday life? The Ex Terra podcast is dedicated to introducing you to many of the interesting people involved in the commercial space industry, and taking you behind the scenes with many of the companies making significant contributions to the new space economy. The podcast is available on Anchor, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audible, Breaker, Overcast, Pocketcasts and Radio Public.

The US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis recently released its revised US Space Economy Statistics for 2012–2021. The new data builds on previous estimates that were released in January 2022 by incorporating new source data and improved methods. On this edition of The Ex Terra Podcast, Tom Patton talks with Dr. Tina Highfill, an award-winning research economist with the US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis. The U.S. space economy statistics are built using BEA’s comprehensive supply and use tables (SUTs) and National Income and Product Accounts (NIPAs), which provide insight into the internal workings of the U.S. economy and detail the contribution of specific industries and products to GDP. The SUTs measure the flows of goods and services purchased by each industry, the incomes earned from production in each industry, and the distribution of sales for each product. The NIPA data present the value and composition of U.S. GDP, the types of incomes generated in its production, and its associated employment. The goal of the space economy statistics is to highlight the space-related production and spending that are already present in the SUTs and NIPAs. In practice, these statistics represent a rearrangement of existing data to isolate spending and production for the space economy. COVID had Less of an Impact on the US Space Economy than Other Sectors "Generally speaking, what we found is that the COVID pandemic didn't impact the space economy as much as the overall US economy, but it also didn't see the same rebound," Highfill said. BEA continues to expand and improve upon the space economy estimates with the intention of developing a time series of estimates with full industry detail aligning with BEA’s other statistical releases. Additionally, research is underway to estimate space economic activity by categories that are more salient to space community users, such as launch and R&D, to provide an additional layer of understanding about the U.S. space economy.