A Forecast International blog about the arms trade, geopolitics, defense and security, and military spending.
by Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. China plans to start launching commercial payloads on its Kuaizhou-11 launch vehicle in 2017. The Kuaizhou-11, which first launched in 2013, is …
Despite U.S. Export Restrictions, Market for Commercialized Chinese Kuaizhou-11 Rocket Looks Strong Read Moreby Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. The U.S. Air Force has awarded two new contracts, worth a combined $161.9 million, as part of its effort to develop a …
USAF Awards Rocket Engine Development Contracts Read MoreBy Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. For the first time, scientists have observed ripples in the fabric of space-time called gravitational waves. The detection was made on September 14, …
NSF’s Gravitational Wave Detection Could Encourage Adoption of $1.4 Billion NGO Mission Read MoreBy Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. After a nearly two-year-long search, in January 2016 NASA announced the winners of its second round of Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contracts. …
Perseverance Pays Off for Sierra Nevada Corp in CRS Win, Putting Company in Strong Position Read MoreBy Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. A Zenit 2SB launch vehicle lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on December 12 carrying the Elektro-L2, a geosynchronous meteorological …
Multiple Issues Lead to Last Zenit Launch Read MoreBy Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. On November 25, President Barack Obama officially signed into law the Spurring Private Aerospace Competitiveness and Entrepreneurship Act of 2015 (SPACE Act …
With Passage of U.S. Law Legalizing Resource Ownership, Can the Space Mining Industry Succeed? Read MoreBy Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. Over the next 10 years, the top-five military satellite manufacturers will be Lockheed Martin, Mitsubishi Electric, Boeing, ISS Reshetnev, and Airbus. The …
Top-Five Military Satellite Manufacturers to Hold Strong Long-Term Market Positions Read MoreBy Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. The Wall Street Journal reports that Aerojet Rocketdyne is discussing an acquisition of United Launch Alliance (ULA) with owners Boeing and Lockheed …
Aerojet Rocketdyne Reportedly Makes $2 Billion Offer for ULA Read MoreBy Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. China has conducted a ground test of the Long March 5 (CZ-5) power system. The engines were fired for the final ground …
With Successful Rocket Motor Test, Long March 5 May Be Back on Track Read More
by Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International. AT&T Inc has completed its $49 billion acquisition of direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television provider DirecTV. DirecTV will be folded into AT&T’s Entertainment & …
AT&T’s $49 Billion Acquisition of DirecTV Won’t Hurt Satellite Production Read More