U.S. Space Projects Show Promise, an Industrial Info Market Brief

Since NASA decided to retire the Space Shuttle fleet in 2011 and utilize private means to transport payloads to low Earth orbit, it looked like the plan would not quite live up to expectations, as most of the private agencies have suffered numerous delays in being able to provide the needed launches. With the successful May 23 launch of SpaceX's fifth Falcon 9 rocket, carrying 60 internet satellites, and its successful recovery of the first-stage booster on a floating platform at sea, it looks like the private players are finally beginning to deliver regular results to the agency and other space customers. Industrial Info is tracking eight manufacturing projects valued at $634.4 million for space ventures.