“Cost minus” is a new buzzword circulating among Trump transition team insiders, according to Gabe Dominocielo, co-founder and president of Umbra Space, an Earth observation satellite operator. Vice President-elect JD Vance’s background as a venture capitalist, including investments in defense and space tech company Anduril Industries through his firm Narya Ventures, exemplifies these connections. He emphasized the importance of export market access for commercial space firms, noting that national security customers extend beyond the Pentagon to include foreign governments using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology for border protection. Outside of a handful of firms like SpaceX, broader commercialization of space activities still lags. “The U.S. government is still consuming our capability the way that it was in the 80s and 90s.”The Trump administration’s track record from its first term has set a precedent for supporting commercial space ventures, said Platzer.

Source: CNN November 26, 2024 06:57 UTC