Lessons from the Cloud: Outsourcing and Integrating Commercial Space Services

Just as the commercial space sector itself is maturing, so too must the DOD’s ability to tap into it. Realizing the full range of benefits from commercial space services integration will require that the U.S. Space Force invest in technology and workforce enablers, consider tradeoffs, and embrace and optimize commercial capabilities. Doing so can yield greater resilience, improved access to innovation, and more agile implementation for DOD space capabilities. Yet, the balance between commercial and DOD capabilities will need to look different for different missions. A commercial space services integration maturity model like the one presented here can serve as a roadmap for how space integration is done once the appropriate mission areas and vendors are identified. 

Author: Margaux Hoar