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General Steven Whiting, commander of U.S. Space Command, discusses strategic objects for defense in space. Source (All Images) | CW

The last time I walked the halls of the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs was in 2019, during what now feels like the early days of a new space era. Space Force had just been established under the first Trump administration. NASA’s Artemis Program was still in its early stages. And the U.S. had only recently regained its ability to send astronauts to space thanks to SpaceX’s Crew Dragon — the first time since the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. The optimism back then was palpable, with growing collaboration between commercial companies and agencies like NASA and ESA setting the stage for a renaissance in spaceflight.

Fast forward 5 years, and the industry has indeed boomed. From the rise of carbon fiber rocket platforms by Rocket Lab and Firefly Aerospace, to the proliferation of constellation satellites like Starlink and OneWeb, the growth has been explosive. According to The Space Report presented by the Space Foundation, space workforce employment grew by 18% between 2019 and 2024. Leslie Conn, director of research and digital programming at the Foundation, highlighted that much of the growth on the manufacturing side — propulsion units, space vehicle parts and systems — was driven largely by private sector innovation.

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Firefly Aerospace, enjoying the success of its recent Blue Ghost lunar lander, has its sites set on upcoming Alpha rocket launches for the Department of Defense (DOD) as well as another lunar lander mission to the dark side of the Moon. 

The dominant player in commercial space remains SpaceX, but others are carving out their niches. Firefly and Rocket Lab, once scrappy newcomers, now provide reliable launch alternatives. All of this progress set the backdrop for this year’s 40^th Space Symposium — one that felt markedly different.

Politically, we’ve come full circle. With the return of the Trump administration and Elon Musk assuming a major advisory role, there’s a new urgency in space policy, matched by an equally intense wave of geopolitical maneuvering. Tariffs on foreign goods have rattled international partners. DOGE-led funding cuts across government agencies have many wondering how space programs — particularly NASA’s — will be affected. With NASA’s Washington D.C. lease expiring, and talk of a possible move for the agency’s headquarters, the future feels uncertain.

That uncertainty was echoed during the recent Senate confirmation hearing of Jared Isaacman, Trump’s nominee for NASA administrator. A civilian astronaut and entrepreneur, Isaacman was grilled on his priorities: Moon first, or Mars? While he reiterated the importance of lunar missions as part of Artemis, he hinted at potential changes in scope — particularly regarding funding for the Gateway orbiter and permanent lunar infrastructure.

Meanwhile, acting NASA administrator Janet Petro discussed current plans at Space Symposium. In a fireside chat, she stated that Artemis II (a crewed lunar flyby) would target July 2026, with Artemis III — the long-awaited crewed lunar landing — scheduled for mid-2027. Still, doubts linger about the potential shifts in the program, especially amid funding constraints.

But the overarching theme of this year’s Symposium was clear: defense.

In a commanding keynote, General Steven Whiting, head of U.S. Space Command, unveiled his “Five Elements of Victory,” outlining strategic objectives for maintaining U.S. space superiority — with a strong emphasis on deterring adversaries like China. Whiting stressed that space dominance would rely heavily on foreign collaboration, particularly through NATO and allied space agencies.

Panels throughout the Symposium underscored this. A panel discussion featuring the Council on Foreign Relations cautioned that uncertainty — especially with tariffs and shifting alliances — and lack of funding could undermine collaborative progress.

For now, the space community seems to be in a holding pattern, waiting to see where policy, funding and strategy land. Defense is the clear focal point. Exploration? Still in the cards, but dependent on how priorities shake out between Mars and the Moon.

What does this mean for composites manufacturers? Jim Harris, managing director of Hexagon Purus, noted continued growth in demand for hydrogen storage systems, with aerospace and space comprising a healthy chunk of its business. Jeremy Senne, director space structures at Rock West Composites echoed that sentiment, noting exponential growth in space-related work over the last 5 years. When commercial aerospace dipped during the pandemic, many composites manufacturers leaned into defense and new space — a trend that seems poised to continue.