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Space Technology Atlas

Mapping the Domains of Space Technology with U.S. Government Spending Data

 

Space Technology Atlas displaying a network of space funding for the year 2024. Nodes represent entities such as space companies or federal agencies. Connections represent a transfer of funds between two entities.

 

Abstract

 

  • Thanks to the 2014 Digital Accountability and Transparency Act, which expanded on the 2006 FederalFunding Accountability and Transparency Act, high quality data on public expenditures are available via USASpending.gov and other data brokers.
  • Many gallons of ink have been spilled in literature around modernizing federal procurement. Notable policies include the A-76 framework for competitive sourcing and the Brooks Act for rigorous assessment of contractors over purely price based bidding. These policies significantly impact the profile of nonfederal entities the federal government transacts with and are themselves a worthy, still evolving case study.

The general data structure used to generate our tool, a directed force graph of transactions, are nodes (federal agencies and non federal awardees), edges (financial assistance prime/sub awards, contract prime/sub awards), and domains.

Using a combination of NLP API calls and cosine similarity analysis on transaction descriptions, catalog of federal domestic assistance (CFDA) federal program listings, North American industry classification system (NAICS) codes, and awarding agencies, we tag every edge by its relevant domains. The final visualization captures transaction details and aggregate statistics of a pool of nodes over time, with top entities, by amount received and amount given, are most visible.

This general data processing and visualization pipeline can continuously be infused with new transactions as the fiscal year progresses. Further, it is designed to be extensible to other domains and is particularly well suited for industries with tight governmental regulations and necessary public relationships to propel the technology stack from design and development to implementation.

Results and Discussion

We processed 7,625 entities and 52,579 awards from 2016 to 2025. During this period, key federal funding sources include the Department of Defense ($143.2 Billion) and NASA ($60.5 Billion), while prominent industry entities by total transaction volume feature Lockheed Martin ($56.4 Billion) and Jacobs Technology ($12.4 Billion).

The federal funding landscape, as of 2024, is at an all time high of $29.9 Billion in yearly prime awards. However, sub-transactions between non-federal entities appear to have peaked at $11.7 Billion in 2021, and have since declined nearly 80% to $2.4 Billion in 2024.

There are several plausible reasons why space technology subcontracting was nearly five times greater in 2021 compared to 2024:

  • Major Space Programs and Funding Peaks: In 2021, NASA and contractors ramped up spending significantly in preparation for Artemis missions, driving a surge in subcontracting activities
  • Post-COVID Economic Stimulus: The U.S. federal government released extensive economic stimulus funds in 2021, with a significant portion allocated toward research and infrastructure, including space technology. Subcontracting often spikes as prime awardees distribute funds downstream to specialized subcontractors.

Top Federal Entities

During the entire period of study, top federal agencies by amounts awarded are:

1. Department of Defense: $143.2 Billion
2. National Aeronautics and Space Administration: $60.5 Billion
3. Department of Energy: $12.1 Billion
4. General Services Administration: $2.0 Billion
5. National Science Foundation: $925.5 Million
6. Department of Transportation: $854.7 Million
7. Department of Commerce: $768.4 Million
8. Department of Homeland Security: $410.6 Million
9. Department of Health And Human Services: $186.8 Million
10. Department of The Treasury: $111.9 Million

 

Top Non-federal Entities

During the entire period of study, top non-federal entities, by total transacted amounts (given and received) are:

1. Lockheed Martin Corporation: $56.4 Billion

2. Jacobs Technology Inc.: $12.4 Billion
3. Fluor Marine Propulsion, Llc: $12.0 Billion
4. California Institute Of Technology: $10.1 Billion
5. The Aerospace Corporation: $7.2 Billion
6. Federal Defense Solutions, Inc.: $6.0 Billion
7. Cabrillo Enterprises Inc: $6.0 Billion
8. L3Harris Technologies, Inc.: $5.9 Billion
9. The Boeing Company: $5.4 Billion
10. Science Systems And Applications, Inc.: $4.8 Billion

 

Certain large organizations, such as the Colorado branch of Lockheed Martin, serve as important conduits for federal funding. They not only receive a large amount of federal funding, they redistribute federal grants to subcontractors.

 

Domain Clusters

Filtering the graph to display transactions from specific domains can reveal meaningful clusters and patterns within the space technology landscape. By isolating particular sectors—such as satellite communications, launch vehicles, or space robotics—you can identify concentrated hubs of activity and investment. These clusters highlight tightly integrated networks of companies, government agencies, and research institutions, uncovering strategic partnerships and supply-chain dependencies. This focused view enables investors and analysts to pinpoint emerging market leaders, potential collaborative opportunities, and critical areas of technological advancement.

 

This is the network of entities and transactions related to observed “military” applications from 2020-2025. This is a relatively small network of 269 entities sharing 640 awards worth $23 billion. The largest awarder is The Department of Defense. There are relatively few awards, but the awards are fairly large.

 

This is the network of entities and transactions related to “Lunar Exploration” and “Mars Exploration” from 2020-2025. This is a broad network of 481 entities sharing 1,918 awards worth $3.4 billion. The largest awarder is NASA. The awards are relatively numerous but small.

 

Discussion

Domain trends are one of many research avenues enabled by this visualization tool. As an investment strategy, we can integrate space-focused venture capital portfolios within the federal funding landscape, simulating real historical environments to test entry and exit scenarios. To evaluate new ventures, we can analyze intended domains by examining node clustering, relationships across research, development, suppliers, and historical partnership and transaction trends. Domain transitions can reveal optimal integration strategies—both vertical and horizontal—for startups.

As a predictive instrument, the tool can refine data processing pipelines and aggregate indicators to highlight emerging technologies before they reach market saturation, leveraging domain incidence rates, keyword clustering, and funding trends. Future iterations could link financial market activities with ongoing policy developments and related governmental actions. While some industry sectors, such as satellite communication bands, have clear regulatory frameworks, others like deep space exploration, tourism, and mining remain emerging, with regulatory impacts still uncertain.

Rather than prescribing fixed investment targets through static reporting, this tool aims to inform a dynamic, algorithmic investment strategy. It serves as a resource for data-driven case studies and integrated computational approaches to validate investments—a core tenet of Outliers’ philosophy. The Space Technology Atlas represents our initial step toward applying this computational ethos toward understanding space industry.

Contributors: Sophia J. Wang, Ira Winder