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Space Science and Technology

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RAND was an early leader in the field of space science, producing seminal works in the design, launch, and operation of satellites in the 1940s and '50s. RAND continues to pursue space studies: Current topics include international cooperation (and the United States' dependency on foreign components), orbital debris (or "space junk"), and the funding of space missions.

Report
Commercial Space Market Development and Trends
The growing commercial space industry offers a range of capabilities and services, including emerging technologies. Opportunities for the U.S. Space Force and Department of Defense to leverage these capabilities for military purposes are expanding. What concerns should stakeholders address?
Apr 14, 2022
Commentary
Why Not Space Mirrors?
Space mirrors can reflect solar radiation away from Earth, potentially helping to address the effects of climate change. But decisionmakers need more information about this technology to determine if it's a viable option.
Oct 19, 2022

Explore Space Science and Technology

Commentary
Kill the Space Launch System to Save Human Spaceflight
Even in the face of a budgetary spending cap and the ever-looming possibility of new cuts, NASA continues investing in a robust and diverse human spaceflight program. But with fiscal uncertainty expected to continue, it should consider reordering its spending priorities.
Apr 5, 2013
Commentary
Satellite Collision Is a Reminder of Challenges Posed by Space Debris
Solving the problem of space debris isn't going to be easy because, like spilled petroleum products, debris can spend years lurking in an environment that is foreign to most people's daily lives, write Dave Baiocchi and William Welser.
Mar 15, 2013
Commentary
The Effects of Celestial Events Go Beyond Their Impact
While the event in Russia was caused by a medium-sized (10,000-ton) meteor, larger objects, like the asteroid 2012 DA14 that also passed near Earth last week, have the potential to be significantly more damaging, write Dave Baiocchi and William Welser.
Feb 20, 2013
Commentary
Intelsat Crash a Setback for Space Lift Competition
Sea Launch's recent failure means more than just a lost payload and revenue for Intelsat: It means the status quo for launch services will continue for a while longer, write Dave Baiocchi and William Welser.
Feb 12, 2013
Journal Article
Detecting Ionospheric TEC Perturbations Caused by Natural Hazards Using a Global Network of GPS Receivers: The Tohoku Case Study
Recent advances in GPS data processing have demonstrated that ground-based GPS receivers are capable of detecting ionospheric TEC perturbations caused by surface-generated Rayleigh, acoustic and gravity waves.
Dec 1, 2012
Dissertation
Actualizing Flexible National Security Space Systems
Three essays that address some of the challenges associated with improving the flexibility of National Security Space capabilities.
Nov 15, 2011
Periodical
RAND Review: Vol. 35, No. 1, Spring 2011
Stories discuss gays in the military, police recruitment, home health care, breast cancer, health insurance exchanges, alternative fuels, refinery taxes, alcohol prices, outer space debris, mental illness, diplomatic trends, and health care costs.
Apr 29, 2011
Report
Orbital Debris Poses a Growing Threat to Satellites in Space
Orbital debris represents a threat to the operation of man-made objects in space, such as satellite television and weather satellites. Currently, there are hundreds of thousands of objects greater than one centimeter in diameter in Earth's orbit.
Nov 2, 2010
Commentary
Space: The Final Junkyard?
Celestial real estate is increasingly popular. All in all more than 900 satellites, along with tens of thousands of bits of man-made space detritus, jockey for elbow room overhead. The result: a growing threat our atmosphere will soon become so crowded with floating junk as to become almost unusable, write Caroline Reilly and Peter D. Zimmerman.
Apr 2, 2009
Journal Article
Technology Strategies for Homeland Security: Adaptation and Coevolution of Offense and Defense
Terrorists' strategies are driven by the types and range of weapons and other technologies they acquire.
Jan 1, 2009
Report
Improving the Cost Estimation of Space Systems
Why have the costs of acquiring space systems been so high? What are the sources of the problems? To answer these questions, RAND researchers examined the sources of cost growth of Air Force space systems and undertook an extensive study of two space systems.
Jul 25, 2008
Commercial Book
Space Handbook: Astronautics and Its Applications
Seminal guide from 1958 on the uses and characteristics of space systems, including astronautics and its applications, technology, rocket vehicles, propulsion systems, propellants, internal power sources, guidance, communication, and more.
Oct 8, 2007
Report
Space Command Sustainment Review: Improving the Balance Between Current and Future Capabilities
Space assets are vital to the economic, social, and military interests of the United States. Sustainment complexities suggest a need to define a AFSPC commandwide sustainment philosophy separating demand, supply, and integrator processes.
Jun 17, 2007
Report
New Metrics Show How Investments Affect Space System Performance
As space systems age, the U.S. Air Force Space Command needs to understand how budgeting for the maintenance and sustainment of ground segments affects the performance of their associated space systems. New metrics and models can help this process.
Apr 14, 2007
Report
Evolutionary Acquisition: Implementation Challenges for Defense Space Programs
This monograph presents findings of a RAND Project AIR FORCE research project documenting lessons learned from the implementation of evolutionary acquisition (EA) strategies on major Defense Department military space programs.
Aug 16, 2006
Commentary
Let's Avoid Another Trans-Atlantic Feud
Published commentary by RAND staff: Let's Avoid Another Trans-Atlantic Feud, in International Herald Tribune.
Jan 13, 2006
Brochure
Mert Davies: A RAND Pioneer in Earth Reconnaissance and Planetary Mapping from Spacecraft
Merton Edward Davies (1917-2001) was a major contributor to U.S. space efforts from when he first became affiliated with the RAND Corporation in 1947 until his death in 2001, at which time he still maintained his office at RAND.
Jan 1, 2004
Research Brief
Distributed Satellite Constellations Offer Advantages Over Monolithic Systems
A new study by RAND Project AIR FORCE confirms that, once the technology becomes available, distributed satellite systems will perform better and cost less to launch and operate than equivalent monolithic satellites.
Jan 1, 2004
Report
How RAND Invented the Postwar World: Satellites, Systems Analysis, Computing, the Internet -- Almost All the Defining Features of the Information Age Were Shaped in Part at the RAND Corporation
Presents a thumbnail history of the RAND Corporation, emphasizing its early accomplishments.
Dec 31, 2003
Commentary
Atlantic Monthly and RAND View the Future
The Atlantic Monthly Magazine features a compilation of ten short essays written by experts at RAND, collectively titled Headlines Over the Horizon. The RAND authors examined developments in international and military affairs drawing little attention today that are expected to be major issues in the ...
Aug 1, 2003

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Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Andrew Dowse

Director, RAND Australia

Andrew Dowse is director of RAND Australia. In this role, he identifies policy research opportunities for Australian clients at the Commonwealth and state/territory levels, delivers and disseminates high quality research and analysis on Australian policy issues, and leads the RAND Australia…
Gwen Mazzotta

Policy Analyst

Gwen Mazzotta is a policy analyst at the RAND Corporation, where her work has focused on space escalation, defense acquisition (including rapid acquisition, environmental considerations, and commercial derivative aircraft), and commercial human space flight. Mazzotta completed her graduate…

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