Radar Landscapes Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech Landscape of the United States
Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech industry in the United States — illustrated cover for the Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech Landscape of the United States
Radar · Industry landscape · the United States

Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech Landscape of the United States

4,481 Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech companies in the United States, in one picture: who is hiring, who is raising money, who founded them, where they are based, what the news is about, which skills employers want and where the research is going. Updated August 2026.

4,481companies tracked
$90.3Bdisclosed funding
459hiring right now
3,769events · 24 months
357,523news articles · 12 months

Who leads Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech in the United States

Shows the top 4,481 U.S. companies in the sector, highlighting which firms are hiring, which have recent funding rounds, and which are recognized as leaders in hiring, financing, and coverage.

open roles
Hiring now
ranked by live open roles
  1. 01Prescient Edge12last posted Jul 2026
  2. 02EchoStar12last posted Jul 2026
  3. 03Firestorm12last posted Jul 2026
  4. 04Panasonic Avionics12last posted Jul 2026
  5. 05Sierra Space12last posted Jul 2026
  6. 06SpaceX12last posted Jul 2026
  7. 07Terran Orbital12last posted Jul 2026
  8. 08Anduril11last posted Jun 2026
459 companies hiring · 9 posted in the last 30 days
disclosed funding
Most funded
disclosed totals, all rounds
  1. 01SpaceX$12.1BSeries J · Mar 2026
  2. 02Anduril$11.3BSeries H · May 2026
  3. 03Shield AI$3.8BSeries G · Mar 2026
  4. 04World View$2.7BSeries E · May 2025
  5. 05Palantir$2.6BPost IPO · Aug 2023
  6. 06Saronic$2.6BSeries D · Mar 2026
  7. 07Sierra Space$2.3BSeries C · Mar 2026
  8. 08Gogo$2.3BPost IPO · Sep 2020
868 companies with disclosed rounds · $90.3B total
revenue
Revenue leaders
official filings first, else latest snapshot
  1. 01Pelicargo$21.2BFY2023 filing
  2. 02Palantir$4.5Bsnapshot Dec 2025
  3. 03EchoStar$3.7BFY2023 filing
  4. 04ViaSat$1.2BFY2019 filing
  5. 05Woodward$1.1BFY2022 filing
  6. 06Maxar Technologies$419MFY2023 filing
  7. 07AeroVironment$408MFY2026 filing
  8. 08Mercury Systems$235.8MFY2013 filing
43 companies with a revenue figure
headcount
Largest teams
ranked by tracked headcount
  1. 01SpaceX13,612tracked employees
  2. 02General Dynamics Mission Systems9,600tracked employees
  3. 03Woodward8,300tracked employees
  4. 04ViaSat6,800tracked employees
  5. 05Maxar Technologies6,033tracked employees
  6. 06Panasonic Avionics4,411tracked employees
  7. 07ULA3,178tracked employees
  8. 08Mercury Systems2,596tracked employees
373 companies with headcount data
share of events
Share of voice
share of all tracked sector news events, 24 months
  1. 01Palantir11.2%623 tracked events
  2. 02SpaceX8.8%486 tracked events
  3. 03Joby Aviation5.6%310 tracked events
  4. 04Archer3.7%205 tracked events
  5. 05AeroVironment2.5%138 tracked events
  6. 06EchoStar2.3%130 tracked events
  7. 07Rocket Lab2.3%125 tracked events
  8. 08Anduril2.2%123 tracked events
5,553 tracked events across 321 companies
articles
In the news
Prism news coverage, last 12 months
  1. 01SpaceX25,218articles in the window
  2. 02Blue Origin4,778articles in the window
  3. 03CSI2,959articles in the window
  4. 04Palantir2,138articles in the window
  5. 05Axiom Space1,741articles in the window
  6. 06ULA1,575articles in the window
  7. 07Anduril1,408articles in the window
  8. 08AeroVironment1,399articles in the window
348 of these companies drew sector coverage in the window
Radar

See all 4,481 Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech companies in the United States

Filter by funding, headcount, hiring and location, and export the list.

How the Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech ecosystem in the United States grew, 2016–2025

Shows the number of companies founded each year from 2016 to 2025, with a peak of 253 new firms in 2016 and 40 in 2025.

Companies founded / year
new Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech companies in the United States
2016: 2532017: 2382018: 2532019: 2462020: 2512021: 2512022: 1642023: 1192024: 1192025: 40
20162025
peak 253 in 2016
Companies raising / year
with a disclosed round that year
20162025
peak 202 in 2025
Disclosed funding / year
sum of disclosed rounds (USD)
2016: 1,479,784,1052017: 1,791,323,8542018: 3,300,604,4092019: 4,072,978,8332020: 6,226,756,9962021: 9,577,972,0952022: 10,461,136,5912023: 5,287,208,2602024: 7,711,918,9492025: 16,299,525,670
20162025
peak $16.3B in 2025

Where Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech companies in the United States are based

San Francisco skyline — Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech hub in the United States
Hub 01
San Francisco
147 Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech companies
23% of the Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech companies across these hubs
147companies
$5.5Bdisclosed funding
26hiring now
Photo Wikipedia · San Francisco · CC BY-SA 4.0
San Diego skyline — Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech hub in the United States
Hub 02
San Diego
82 Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech companies
13% of the Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech companies across these hubs
82companies
$4.2Bdisclosed funding
7hiring now
Photo Wikipedia · San Diego · CC BY-SA 4.0
Los Angeles skyline — Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech hub in the United States
Hub 03
Los Angeles
81 Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech companies
13% of the Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech companies across these hubs
81companies
$2.7Bdisclosed funding
16hiring now
Photo Wikipedia · Los Angeles · CC BY-SA 4.0
Austin, a Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech hub in the United States
Hub 04
Austin
73 Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech companies
11% of the Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech companies across these hubs
73companies
$3.7Bdisclosed funding
12hiring now
generated artwork
New York City skyline — Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech hub in the United States
Hub 05
New York City
69 Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech companies
11% of the Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech companies across these hubs
69companies
$1Bdisclosed funding
5hiring now
Photo Wikipedia · New York City · CC BY-SA 4.0
Houston skyline — Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech hub in the United States
Hub 06
Houston
62 Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech companies
10% of the Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech companies across these hubs
62companies
$1.1Bdisclosed funding
10hiring now
Photo Wikipedia · Houston · CC BY-SA 4.0
Seattle skyline — Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech hub in the United States
Hub 07
Seattle
61 Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech companies
10% of the Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech companies across these hubs
61companies
$857.5Mdisclosed funding
5hiring now
Photo Wikipedia · Seattle · CC BY-SA 4.0
Miami skyline — Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech hub in the United States
Hub 08
Miami
60 Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech companies
9% of the Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech companies across these hubs
60companies
$7.5Mdisclosed funding
Photo Wikipedia · Miami · CC BY-SA 4.0

The Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech market map of the United States: what these companies actually do

Breaks down the products these firms build, noting the largest sub‑categories such as enterprise tech (3,402) and deep tech (1,914), and the most common revenue models like subscription (1,843).

  • Enterprise Tech3,402 companies · $85.8B raised · 408 hiring
  • Deep Tech1,914 companies · $69.7B raised · 251 hiring
  • Enterprise Software1,031 companies · $12.5B raised · 99 hiring
  • SaaS718 companies · $12B raised · 82 hiring
  • Consumer Digital684 companies · $7.5B raised · 30 hiring
  • Travel and Hospitality SaaS279 companies · $800.1M raised · 20 hiring
  • Commercial Drones240 companies · $2B raised · 23 hiring
  • Green Transport188 companies · $8.6B raised · 30 hiring
  • Drone Software178 companies · $866.8M raised · 13 hiring
  • Marketplaces133 companies · $352.5M raised · 8 hiring
  • Industry 4.0128 companies · $953.1M raised · 14 hiring
  • Drone Peripherals113 companies · $766.2M raised · 12 hiring

Monetization

How Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech companies make money

How many companies earn revenue each way. Plenty use more than one model, so the counts add up to more than the sector.

Subscription1,843
Physical Commerce1,235
Fee-For-Service1,035
E-Commerce - Product977
Commission on Transaction399
E-Commerce - Service250
Advertising209
Licensing24

Funding, M&A and the deals moving Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech in the United States

Earnings 802Contracts 521Funding 509Leadership 414Announcement 403M&A 382Capital 129Assets 125Lawsuit 113Product 101
  • FundingThe investment will fuel True Anomaly’s production of its Jackal spacecraft and its rapid-launch capabilities.2026-05-04
  • FundingFirestorm has now raised a total of $129.5M in total equity funding and is backed by Booz Allen Ventures, Geodesic Capital, IQT, Litquidity Ventures, Lockheed Martin, Motley Fool Ventures, New Enterprise Associates, Ondas Networks, and Washington Harbour Partners.2026-05-04
  • FundingUP Partners and Calm Ventures participated in a $160 million fundraise for Mountain View-based Reliable Robotics Corp.2026-05-04
  • M&AYork’s March acquisition of Orbion Space Technology, a MI-based manufacturer of Hall-effect electric propulsion systems.2026-04-30
  • M&AYork Space Systems ($YSS) plans to acquire terminal manufacturer ALL.SPACE for $355M, according to paperwork filed with the SEC yesterday.2026-04-30
  • FundingSkydio has raised $110 million in Series F financing, led by existing investors, bringing the company’s valuation to $4.4 billion.2026-04-28
  • FundingMaritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has awarded close to SGD 3.7 million (USD 2.9 million) in R&D co-funding to six companies, including Alicia Bots, C-Leanship, Neptune Robotics, Oceanis Robotics, RINA, and Seahi Robotics.2026-04-28
  • IPOSatellite-based signals intelligence collection and analytics company HawkEye 360 on Monday launched its roadshow for its pending initial public offering (IPO) that aims to raise between $384 million and $424.2 million.2026-04-27
  • FundingPleasant Grove-based Fortem Technologies a privately held, venture backed company that delivers ultra small C-SWAP radar to enable the autonomous revolution.2026-04-27
  • M&AIf it decides not to proceed with the purchase, SpaceX will instead pay Cursor $10 billion over time for what it calls 'AI collaboration'.2026-04-23

Mergers and acquisitions

Deals from the last 24 months where a Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech company in the United States was the buyer or the one bought, newest first. “Undisclosed” means the price was never published — not that the deal was worth nothing.

AcquirerTargetDeal valueStatusDate
Virgin Galacticsocial capital hedosophiaundisclosedAnnounced2026-07-09
EchoStarinmarsatundisclosedAnnounced2026-07-06
amazonGlobalstar$11.6BPending2026-05-04
ifsempowerMXundisclosedAnnounced2026-05-01
York Space Systemsall.space$355MAnnounced2026-04-30
York Space SystemsATLAS Spaceundisclosed2026-04-30

Who is listing, hiring leaders, launching and winning work

Details specific events such as IPO filings, leadership changes, product launches and contract wins for companies in the sector.

IPO pipeline
23 companies listed or filing · last 24 months
Leadership moves
134 tracked people moves · last 12 months
  • AudacyWalker · Appointment → Board MemberApr 2026
  • AudacyGabe · Appointment → Board MemberApr 2026
  • AudacyBrotman · Appointment → Board MemberApr 2026
  • EpirusAndy Lowery · Appointment → Chief Executive OfficerApr 2026
  • Honeywell AerospaceBill Ayer · Appointment → Board MemberApr 2026
  • Honeywell AerospaceCraig Arnold · Appointment → Independent Chairman of the BoardApr 2026
  • Honeywell AerospaceJim Currier · Appointment → Board MemberApr 2026
  • Wheels UpTimothy Armstrong · Retirement — was Independent DirectorApr 2026
Product launches
tracked launches · last 12 months
  • Rocket LabGauss thruster (Electric propulsion satellite thruster)Apr 2026
  • PalantirChain Reaction (Operating System)Apr 2026
  • GlobalstarXCOM RAN (Private 5G system)Apr 2026
  • OpenTugBargeOS Invoice Intelligence (Logistics platform)Mar 2026
  • OpenTugInvoice Intelligence (Voyage Management Platform)Mar 2026
  • Techmer PMEvacuTech solutions (Polymer additives)Mar 2026
  • Techmer PMNIR‑sortable black color technologies (Polymer additives)Mar 2026
  • Corvus RoboticsCorvus One for Cold Chain (Autonomous inventory management system)Feb 2026
Contract wins
218 customer wins · last 24 months
Workforce actions
12 companies cutting roles · last 24 months
  • Audacyscale undisclosed · cost reductionMar 2026
  • SpaceX~8 roles reported · retaliatoryFeb 2026
  • ZeroAvia~50% of workforce reported · funding constraintsJan 2026
  • ForeFlightscale undisclosedJan 2026
  • Blue Origin~10% of workforce reported · cost reductionOct 2025
  • EchoStar~500 roles reported · cost reductionSep 2025
Regulatory & litigation
82 regulatory events · 33 tracked suits · 24 months
  • SpaceXdismissed opposition — FCCApr 2026
  • AST & Scienceapproved for direct-to-cell service and 248-satellite constellation — FCCApr 2026
  • SpaceXdropping charges against SpaceX — National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)Apr 2026
  • Starfighters Space — U.S. Securities and Exchange CommissionApr 2026
  • joby aviation v Archer Aviationtrade secret theft and corporate espionage · FiledApr 2026
  • Archer Aviation v joby aviationFraud, misrepresentation, and customs mislabeling allegations · FiledApr 2026
Earnings pulse
companies reporting results · last 24 months
53 companies reporting890 company-quarters trackedbeat 206miss 90in line 18

Half of these companies grew revenue faster than +22.3%, half slower.

Who is building Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech in the United States

Profiles 2,278 founders and CEOs across 1,739 firms, noting frequent alma maters (Stanford 76, MIT 65) and prior employers (Google 16, Microsoft 11).

Founders and chief executives12 of 2,278, from the best-funded companies on this page
Elon Musk
Co-Founder & CEO
Elon Musk

Co-Founder SpaceX, Neuralink & The Boring, ex-Co-Founder PayPal.

Trae Stephens
Co-Founder
Trae Stephens
repeat founder

Co-Founder Pursuit, Sol, ex-Palantir Technologies. Georgetown University BS 2005

Ryan Tseng
Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer & President
Ryan Tseng

Shield Ai, ex-Qualcomm, ex-Wipower, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Joe Lonsdale
Founder
Joe Lonsdale

8vc, ex-Strive For College, ex-Formation 8, Stanford University, 2003

Doug Lambert
Co-Founder & COO
Doug Lambert

Ex-Terradepth, Liquid Robotics. Lehigh University BSc 2011, Dartmouth College ME 2012

Ruth Ruffino
Executive Administrative Assistant to CEO, CFO, General Counsel, Chief People Officer
Ruth Ruffino

Gogo Business Aviation, ex-Gogo, ex-Ncr

Brett Adcock
Co-Founder
Brett Adcock

Founder Cover, Archer, ex-Vettery, Various Startups. University of Florida 2008

Joeben Bevirt
Founder & CEO
Joeben Bevirt

Ex-Founder Joby, Co-Founder & CEO Velocity11, Incyte. University of California BS 1995, Stanford University 1997

Tim Ellis
Co-Founder
Tim Ellis

World Economic Forum, The White House, ex-The White House, BLUE ORIGIN, Masten Space Systems. University of Southern California BS 2012 & MS 2013

Andy Lapsa
Co-Founder & CEO
Andy Lapsa

Ex-BLUE ORIGIN. Cornell University BS 2004, University of Michigan PhD 2009

Ryan McLinko
Co-Founder
Ryan McLinko

Ex-Planet Labs, Space Frontier Foundation, Sierra Nevada Corporation · Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2011

Robbie Schingler
Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer
Robbie Schingler

Planet Labs, ex-Nasa Headquarters, ex-Nasa Ames Research Center, Georgetown University, 2005

Where the founders studied
alma mater on record for 357 of 2,278 founders
Stanford University76
Massachusetts Institute of Technology65
Harvard University31
Cornell University21
Harvard Business School18
Carnegie Mellon University16
University of California (Berkeley)16
University of Pennsylvania15
Where they worked before
a previous employer on record for 69 of 2,278 founders
Google16
Microsoft11
Amazon7
McKinsey7
Goldman Sachs6
Intel6
Apple5
Morgan Stanley2
Founders flagged as repeat founders
of 1,875 founders with a profile on this page
20
carry a repeat-founder flag
  • flagged as repeat founders20
  • no repeat-founder flag1,855
Women and men among the founders
first names matched for 2,097 of 2,278 founders
7%
of matched founders are women
  • women157
  • men1,940
Inferred from first names, using 119 million people who state their own gender: a first name counts only where at least 20 of them share it and at least 90% of those share the same gender. The other 181 founders go in neither column.
Radar

Look up the people behind Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech companies in the United States

Search founders, executives and operators by company, role and location.

Who funds Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech in the United States

Records 2,473 funding rounds since 2016 from 2,029 investors, with a typical round size of $3.3 million.

Investor · most active investors since 2016RoundsLedLatest
Y Combinator9530Jan 2026
NASA93Mar 2026
Techstars6126Jan 2026
OSTI54Nov 2025
Andreessen Horowitz5119May 2026
Lockheed Martin3811Apr 2026
National Science Foundation381Apr 2025
Lux Capital346Mar 2026
Europa32Jul 2023
America’s Seed Fund27Jul 2024
Stage mix · rounds since 2016
Seed & Angel749
Series A–B802
Series C+ / PE210
Grants, debt & other712

The typical round is $3.3M — half were bigger, half smaller.

The biggest Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech funding rounds in the United States

Highlights the largest disclosed round—Anduril’s $5 billion Series H—and lists ten other large recent rounds.

CompanyRoundSizeWhenBackers
AndurilSeries Hmega-round$5BMay 2026Thrive Capital, Andreessen Horowitz
World ViewSeries Emega-round$2.6BMay 2025
AndurilSeries Gmega-round$2.5BJun 2025Founders Fund
Shield AISeries Gmega-round$2BMar 2026Advent International, JPMorgan Chase, Snowpoint Ventures +5 more
SpaceXSeries Jmega-round$1.9BAug 2020Legendary Ventures
SaronicSeries Dmega-round$1.8BMar 2026Kleiner Perkins, Advent International, Bessemer Venture Partners +7 more
SpaceXSeries Jmega-round$1.7BMay 2022
SpaceXSeries Jmega-round$1.7BJun 2022Mirae Asset, Space.VC, Kinetic
AndurilSeries Fmega-round$1.5BAug 2024Founders Fund, Sands Capital, Fidelity Investments +4 more
AndurilSeries Emega-round$1.5BDec 2022Peter Thiel, Valor Equity Partners, Founders Fund +14 more
Venture round sizes · 2023–2025
<$1M77
$1–10M157
$10–50M132
$50–250M66
>$250M19

451 venture rounds with a disclosed amount in the window.

Fresh cheques · last 6 months

What the news says about Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech in the United States

Counts 357,523 news articles in the last year, most often covering international politics, security policies, military technology, and cybersecurity topics.

News volume
Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech coverage across United States · articles per quarter
2021Q2: 63,7712021Q3: 65,0002021Q4: 57,7622022Q1: 67,8792022Q2: 69,6782022Q3: 69,1772022Q4: 70,6942023Q1: 73,7992023Q2: 77,2412023Q3: 76,2952023Q4: 79,6032024Q1: 92,2912024Q2: 87,8522024Q3: 86,0222024Q4: 99,8302025Q1: 117,6672025Q2: 92,6592025Q3: 93,6432025Q4: 73,2362026Q1: 92,185
2021Q22026Q1
peak 117,667 in 2025Q1 · 357,523 articles in the last 12 tracked months
Tone of coverage
share of articles by dominant sentiment (positive / neutral / negative)
202120232025
Positive-tone share moved 69% → 65%, negative 30% → 34% across 2021–2025.

What the coverage is about

The subjects that dominate Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech news in United States. The arrow shows whether each one is being written about more or less than a year ago.

  • International political relations31,562▲+28%
  • Security and defense policies28,211▲+34%
  • Military technology advancements26,450▲+72%
  • Cybersecurity and cyber warfare23,241▲+74%
  • New product launches and innovations21,671▲+17%
  • Naval and aerial combat operations19,252▲+50%
  • Strategic partnerships and collaborations18,846▲+16%
  • Lunar and martian exploration missions18,791▲+83%
  • International relations and diplomacy18,005→+4%
  • Technology adoption and digital transformation17,615▲+12%
Most-covered companies · last 12 months

348 Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech companies here were named in the news over this period.

Prism

Watch Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech coverage in United States as it happens

Prism follows these subjects story by story — which companies are named, what is said about them and how the tone moves.

Momentum

The words getting louder — and quieter

Which terms are showing up in more stories than a year ago, and which are fading. The percentage is the change in how many articles mention them.

artemis program+1104%aerial bombardments+54%tariff negotiations+86%drone warfare+57%national security strategy+70%free trade deals+206%oil price volatility+74%trade dispute mechanisms+202%bilateral trade+273%flight disruption payments+129%
drone defense-40%faa drone rules-55%drone airspace rules-56%fighter jets-37%anti-drone system-36%

The pressures the press keeps returning to

Three recurring angles in United States Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech coverage, and whether each is getting more attention year on year (through 2025).

Regulatory Risk ▲ rising
337,848 articles touch this dimension · 52.1% critical tone
20212025
signals: flight safety measures, safety compliance aviation, satellite telecommunication
Funding Momentum ▲ rising
99,446 articles touch this dimension · 47.0% critical tone
20212025
signals: weapons system funding, defense appropriations, military spending bills
Growth ▲ rising
121,061 articles touch this dimension · 36.8% critical tone
20212025
signals: earnings report, logistics update, logistics bottleneck

Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech jobs in the United States: who is hiring and what they ask for

Shows 17,848 job postings from 535 employers in the past year, with top skills like Python and mechanical engineering and a median advertised salary of $120 k per year.

17,848postings · last 12 months
26,147postings tracked overall
535employers advertising
$120kmedian advertised salary/yr (n=3487)

Demand

The Skills Employers Ask For

What Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech employers in the United States put in their job ads. The bar is how many postings ask for it; the arrow shows whether demand grew or shrank against the year before.

  • python377
  • excel249
  • c++231
  • sql141
  • mechanical engineering140
  • cad132
  • linux128
  • forklift127
  • gd&t123
  • typescript123
What level are these roles?
Entry673
Intern452
Senior3,415
Lead891
Manager3,555
What they pay, by level
  • Manager$132k/yr (n=530)
  • Senior$141k/yr (n=544)
  • Lead$154k/yr (n=141)
  • Intern$63k/yr (n=37)
Most advertised titles
  • Merchandising Sales Associate341
  • Technician - Entry Level303
  • Field Technician275
  • Team Member203
  • Financial Consultant191
  • Account Executive141

What Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech research in the United States is working on

Lists 1,518 papers from India‑affiliated institutions, categorizing them into identified problems (120), cautions (108) and opportunities (667).

How this field talks about itself
United States-affiliated Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech papers (gold) against all published research (grey)
Descriptive34.3% · 17.7%1.9×
Promising33.5% · 36.6%≈ par
Breakthrough10.4% · 26.8%0.4×
Problem-identifying7.2% · 9.6%0.8×
Cautionary7.1% · 4.4%1.6×
Comparative6.8% · 3.9%1.7×

United States-affiliated Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech literature runs 1.9× more “descriptive” than science at large (34.3% vs 17.7% baseline).

How the work is done
Empirical45.1%
Methods-led37.2%
Reviews12.9%
Position pieces4.5%
Theoretical0.2%
How the research reads

80% positive · 17% neutral · 2% negative, across 1,518 papers.

The institutions doing the work · United States
  • Marshall Space Flight Center1k
  • Langley Research Center752
  • Jacobs664
  • United States Air Force Research Laboratory640
  • Iowa State University587
  • Purdue University West Lafayette515

ranked by how often their work is cited

Leading researchers · United States-affiliated work

Ping Lu · Vigor Yang · Paul Gradl · Stephen D. Heister · J. R. Hulka · M. J. Casiano · William A. Hargus · Matthew Fotia

The most-cited breakthroughs
  • Entry Guidance: A Unified Method · 380 cites
  • Nonadiabatic Flamelet Formulation for Predicting Wall Heat Transfer in Rocket Engines · 40 cites
  • Robust, Practical Adaptive Control for Launch Vehicles · 32 cites
  • Atomization and Dense-Fluid Breakup Regimes in Liquid Rocket Engines · 31 cites
  • Two-Dimensional Modeling of Ablation and Pyrolysis with Application to Rocket Nozzles · 24 cites
Common problems researchers identify116 papers · 4 recurring themes
Launch Vehicle System Reliability — Common problems researchers identify
Problems · theme 01
Launch Vehicle System Reliability
45 papers · 38.8% of this block
2022: 217 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 240 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 274 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 155 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2022: 217 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 240 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 274 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 155 of every 10,000 papers on this subject▼ -29% share2022→2025 share of research on this subject
Researchers highlight safety and affordability challenges in launch vehicle design and crewed mission integration.
Launch vehicle · Aeronautics · Systems engineering · Crew
“Reliability products for Space Launch Vehicle safety assessments”
45 of these papers raise it as a problem
Spacecraft Integration Issues — Common problems researchers identify
Problems · theme 02
Spacecraft Integration Issues
24 papers · 20.7% of this block
2022: 124 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 108 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 113 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 131 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2022: 124 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 108 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 113 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 131 of every 10,000 papers on this subject▲ +5% share2022→2025 share of research on this subject
Studies point to difficulties in qualifying spacecraft fairings and managing CubeSat launches on existing vehicles.
Spacecraft · Space · Space launch · Government
“Recent CubeSat Launch Experiences on U.S. Launch Vehicles”
24 of these papers raise it as a problem
Thermal Protection and Entry — Common problems researchers identify
Problems · theme 03
Thermal Protection and Entry
24 papers · 20.7% of this block
2022: 15 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 16 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 20 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 15 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2022: 15 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 16 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 20 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 15 of every 10,000 papers on this subject→ -1% share2022→2025 share of research on this subject
Papers discuss instrumentation gaps and material limits for atmospheric entry and shuttle missions.
Aerospace engineering · Space Shuttle · Instrumentation · Atmospheric entry
“Aerothermodynamic and thermal protection system instrumentation reference guide”
24 of these papers raise it as a problem
Rocket Engine Performance Scaling — Common problems researchers identify
Problems · theme 04
Rocket Engine Performance Scaling
23 papers · 19.8% of this block
2022: 128 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 132 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 117 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 122 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2022: 128 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 132 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 117 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 122 of every 10,000 papers on this subject▼ -5% share2022→2025 share of research on this subject
Authors note uncertainties in scaling liquid‑propellant engines and validating nozzle flow models.
Rocket engine · Rocket · Aerospace engineering · Propellant
“Scaling of Performance in Liquid Propellant Rocket Engine Combustion Devices”
23 of these papers raise it as a problem
Cautions105 papers · 4 recurring themes
Detonation Engine Risks — Cautions
Cautions · theme 01
Detonation Engine Risks
50 papers · 47.6% of this block
2022: 54 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 56 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 47 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 42 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2022: 54 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 56 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 47 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 42 of every 10,000 papers on this subject▼ -23% share2022→2025 share of research on this subject
Researchers urge caution on stability and ignition challenges in rotating detonation rocket concepts.
Rocket engine · Detonation · Rocket · Liquid-propellant rocket
“Rotating Detonation Engine Performance Model for Rocket Applications”
50 of these papers raise it as a problem
Structural Buckling Concerns — Cautions
Cautions · theme 02
Structural Buckling Concerns
32 papers · 30.5% of this block
2022: 449 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 435 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 230 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 173 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2022: 449 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 435 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 230 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 173 of every 10,000 papers on this subject▼ -61% share2022→2025 share of research on this subject
Studies warn about buckling‑critical launch vehicle structures under propulsion loads.
Aerospace engineering · Launch vehicle · Structural engineering · Propulsion
“Test and Analysis of Buckling-Critical Stiffened Metallic Launch Vehicle Cylinders”
32 of these papers raise it as a problem
Airspace Impact of Launches — Cautions
Cautions · theme 03
Airspace Impact of Launches
14 papers · 13.3% of this block
2022: 52 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 39 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 46 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 40 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2022: 52 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 39 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 46 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 40 of every 10,000 papers on this subject▼ -23% share2022→2025 share of research on this subject
Analyses caution about future launch and re‑entry operations affecting national airspace and cost thresholds.
Space launch · Spacecraft · Launched · Space
“Effects of Future Launch and Reentry Operations on the National Airspace System”
14 of these papers raise it as a problem
Spacecraft Safety Variability — Cautions
Cautions · theme 04
Spacecraft Safety Variability
9 papers · 8.6% of this block
2022: 1,730 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 1,875 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 1,990 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 1,815 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2022: 1,730 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 1,875 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 1,990 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 1,815 of every 10,000 papers on this subject▲ +5% share2022→2025 share of research on this subject
Reviews highlight variability in vibration and acoustic environments influencing spacecraft reliability.
Space Shuttle · Aeronautics · Satellite · Reliability
“A Review of Spacecraft Safety: From Vostok to the International Space Station”
9 of these papers raise it as a problem
Opportunities640 papers · 7 recurring themes
Reliability‑Driven Engine Development — Opportunities
Opportunities · theme 01
Reliability‑Driven Engine Development
137 papers · 21.4% of this block
2022: 31 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 32 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 32 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 28 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2022: 31 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 32 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 32 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 28 of every 10,000 papers on this subject▼ -9% share2022→2025 share of research on this subject
Opportunities focus on frameworks and test systems for advancing liquid‑propellant rocket engines.
Rocket engine · Rocket · Liquid-propellant rocket · Aerospace engineering
“Demonstration of a Reliability-Driven Framework for Rocket Engine Development, Test, and Verification”
Adaptive Launch Vehicle Control — Opportunities
Opportunities · theme 02
Adaptive Launch Vehicle Control
125 papers · 19.5% of this block
2022: 113 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 123 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 172 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 105 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2022: 113 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 123 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 172 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 105 of every 10,000 papers on this subject▼ -7% share2022→2025 share of research on this subject
Research promotes robust adaptive control methods and flight control system designs for launch vehicles.
Launch vehicle · Aerospace engineering · Aeronautics · Vehicle dynamics
“Robust, Practical Adaptive Control for Launch Vehicles”
Space Launch System Evolution — Opportunities
Opportunities · theme 03
Space Launch System Evolution
115 papers · 18.0% of this block
2022: 111 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 117 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 168 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 99 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2022: 111 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 117 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 168 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 99 of every 10,000 papers on this subject▼ -11% share2022→2025 share of research on this subject
Papers explore development progress and expanding capabilities of large launch systems for exploration.
Spacecraft · Aeronautics · Space launch · Launch vehicle
“NASA's SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM: Development and Progress”
Advanced Space Propulsion Concepts — Opportunities
Opportunities · theme 04
Advanced Space Propulsion Concepts
90 papers · 14.1% of this block
2022: 2,023 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 2,154 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 2,155 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 2,094 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2022: 2,023 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 2,154 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 2,155 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 2,094 of every 10,000 papers on this subject▲ +4% share2022→2025 share of research on this subject
Studies present analytical frameworks for staged propulsion and emergency mitigation for lunar missions.
Propulsion · Aerospace engineering · Spacecraft · Satellite
“Analytical Framework for Staging of Space Propulsion Systems”
Combustor Cooling and Modeling — Opportunities
Opportunities · theme 05
Combustor Cooling and Modeling
73 papers · 11.4% of this block
2022: 2,096 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 2,098 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 2,122 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 1,088 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2022: 2,096 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 2,098 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 2,122 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 1,088 of every 10,000 papers on this subject▼ -48% share2022→2025 share of research on this subject
Research advances numerical models of regenerative cooling and combustion chamber performance for high‑expansion rockets.
Combustor · Mechanics · Propellant · Combustion chamber
“Numerical Modeling of Regenerative Cooling System for Large Expansion Ratio Rocket Engines”
Rotating Detonation Propulsion — Opportunities
Opportunities · theme 06
Rotating Detonation Propulsion
53 papers · 8.3% of this block
2022: 210 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 232 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 177 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 143 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2022: 210 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 232 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 177 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 143 of every 10,000 papers on this subject▼ -32% share2022→2025 share of research on this subject
Investigations target experimental and high‑fidelity simulations of rotating detonation engines for space use.
Detonation · Combustor · Rocket engine · Propellant
“Experimental Investigation of Rotating Detonation Rocket Engines for Space Propulsion”
Rocket Nozzle Dynamics — Opportunities
Opportunities · theme 07
Rocket Nozzle Dynamics
47 papers · 7.3% of this block
2022: 109 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 115 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 70 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 68 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2022: 109 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2023: 115 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2024: 70 of every 10,000 papers on this subject2025: 68 of every 10,000 papers on this subject▼ -38% share2022→2025 share of research on this subject
Works focus on acoustic stability and fabrication techniques for improved rocket nozzle performance.
Nozzle · Rocket · Rocket engine nozzle · Fabrication
“Nozzle Acoustic Dynamics and Stability Modeling”

Which of these themes are growing fastest

Tracks how the share of different research themes has changed globally from 2022 to 2025.

Problems
how much more (or less) of the world’s research on this subject each theme took up, 2022→2025
gaining sharelosing share
Spacecraft Integration Issues▲+5%
Thermal Protection and Entry▼-1%
Rocket Engine Performance Scaling▼-5%
Launch Vehicle System Reliability▼-29%
Cautions
how much more (or less) of the world’s research on this subject each theme took up, 2022→2025
gaining sharelosing share
Spacecraft Safety Variability▲+5%
Airspace Impact of Launches▼-23%
Detonation Engine Risks▼-23%
Structural Buckling Concerns▼-61%
Opportunities
how much more (or less) of the world’s research on this subject each theme took up, 2022→2025
gaining sharelosing share
Advanced Space Propulsion Concepts▲+4%
Adaptive Launch Vehicle Control▼-7%
Reliability‑Driven Engine Development▼-9%
Space Launch System Evolution▼-11%
Rotating Detonation Propulsion▼-32%
Rocket Nozzle Dynamics▼-38%
Combustor Cooling and Modeling▼-48%
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About this data: built from Fliar's company, founder, funding, hiring, jobs, news and research trackers, covering the United States. Counts are of companies we track, not of every company that exists. Updated August 2026.
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