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Aerospace

Since our first days as an independent organization, RAND has had researchers exploring ways to improve spacecraft. Today, this work continues as analysts examine issues related to communications satellites and private space industry.

Report
Scientific and Technological Flows Between the United States and China
Leaders from both the United States and China have recognized scientific and technological dominance as a national priority. But what are the potential benefits and risks of U.S.-Chinese scientific research collaboration?
Jun 15, 2023
Blog
Extremist Beliefs Among Veterans, Space Traffic, Teacher Well-Being: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on whether extremist beliefs are more prevalent among veterans, why it's time to manage traffic in outer space, crises facing the Russian military, and more.
Jun 9, 2023
Research Brief
Now Is the Time for Space Traffic Management
The growing number of objects in orbit has increased the potential for overcrowding, debris creation, and, ultimately, collisions. If space powers don't establish an international space traffic management organization soon, the world could lose key portions of its orbital resources.
Jun 5, 2023
Report
International Space Traffic Management: Charting a Course for Long-Term Sustainability
As outer space becomes more congested, contested, and competitive, risks to space safety, security, and sustainability heighten. The authors identified lessons from other domains and offer recommendations to make progress in space traffic management.
Jun 5, 2023
Blog
Arming Teachers, F-16s in Ukraine, Commercial Spaceflight: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on how teachers feel about arming teachers, what F-16s will (and won't) do for Ukraine, the need to regulate commercial spaceflight, and more.
Jun 2, 2023
Commentary
Enter Outer Space at Your Own Risk?
Since 2004, federal law has barred most participant safety regulations and leaves nearly all issues of safety up to the discretion of the company providing the service. It's time to allow the moratorium on regulation to expire and allow the development of safety standards, led by the FAA.
May 16, 2023
Blog
RAND Turns 75: A Look Through the Decades At World-Changing Research
From anticipating the Space Age in the 1940s to studying gun policy and COVID-19 responses in the 2020s, RAND is celebrating 75 years of research that has made a difference.
May 8, 2023
Dissertation
Coherence to Choices: Informing Decisions on Public-Private Partnerships in the Space Sector
Presents a comprehensive set of research on the topic of space public-private partnerships to move forward from the rudimentary discourse to critical discussions and analytical investigations.
May 3, 2023
Report
The Resilience Assessment Framework: Assessing Commercial Contributions to U.S. Space Force Mission Resilience
This report describes the resilience assessment framework that RAND Project AIR FORCE developed to assess the potential impact of integrating select commercial space services on U.S. Space Force mission performance.
Apr 27, 2023
Testimony
U.S.-China Aviation Competition
The United States leads in aviation capability and technology. However, as of early 2023, China continues to close the gap. What should Congress take into account when considering how to maintain U.S. competitive advantages in aviation?
Apr 13, 2023
Dissertation
The Development of In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing Technology: Drivers, Challenges, and Policy Implications
Examines the challenges and enablers associated with developing infrastructure to support an in-space economy.
Apr 7, 2023
Report
Assessing the Readiness for Human Commercial Spaceflight Safety Regulations
What is the progress of the commercial space industry in adopting voluntary standards for participant safety, and towards meeting key metrics that would indicate readiness for regulation?
Apr 3, 2023
Report
Assessing the Prospects for Great Power Cooperation in the Global Commons
This report, part of a four-part series, describes the potential for U.S. cooperation with China or Russia on global commons issues, including freedom of access to space, countering violent extremist organizations, and promoting global stability.
Feb 20, 2023
Report
First Mover Typology for the Space Domain: Building a Foundation for Future Analysis
The authors offer a categorization and nuanced views of first moves in military strategy as a basis for understanding and further analysis of first mover advantage in the space domain.
Jan 25, 2023
Report
Cross-Domain Lessons for Space Traffic Management: An Analysis of Air and Maritime Treaty Governance Mechanisms
In this report, the authors examine the treaty-based governance systems from both the air and maritime domains as potential models for the development of an international space traffic management system.
Jan 25, 2023
Blog
Regulating Space, Threats to Critical Infrastructure, Psychedelics: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on the need for governance in outer space, why the recent FAA system failure was a wake-up call, the changing policy landscape around psychedelic therapies, and more.
Jan 20, 2023
Blog
U.S. Gun Laws, China's COVID Outbreak, Space in 2050: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on gun policy in America, the myth of America's “Ukraine fatigue,” the COVID outbreak in China, and more.
Jan 13, 2023
Periodical
RAND Review: January-February 2023
This issue explores the inadequacies of the current system of space governance; China's presence in the Arctic; abortion in the U.S. post-Dobbs; and the security and technology challenges related to Taiwan's domination of the microchip industry.
Jan 6, 2023
Essay
What Might Space Look Like in 2050?
It would not take huge technological breakthroughs to make space and space travel a much bigger part of everyday life. Instead, it would take a steady progression of incremental advances—and one development in particular could provide the tipping point.
Jan 5, 2023
Essay
The Calls for More Progress on Space Governance Are Growing Louder
Space may seem infinite, but the narrow band that hugs the Earth, where satellites and space stations operate, is not. Existing space treaties won't be enough to keep satellites safe, to prevent crowding and collisions, and to preserve the promise of outer space.
Jan 5, 2023

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Researcher Spotlight

Krista Romita Grocholski

Physical Scientist

Krista Romita Grocholski (she/her) is a physical scientist at the RAND Corporation and serves as the lead principal investigator of the NOAA Mid-Atlantic Climate Adaptation Partnership (formerly RISA) program. Romita Grocholski's work at RAND has been focused on climate adaptation and…
Natalie W. Crawford

Senior Fellow

Natalie Crawford is a senior fellow and distinguished chair in Air and Space Policy at the RAND Corporation. She is also a professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. She has held a number of leadership positions within RAND Project Air Force, and was vice president and director from 1997 to…

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