2020 Annual Report: Forging Resiliency for the Future

The Aerospace Corporation’s 2020 Annual Report spotlights the accomplishments and breakthroughs that strengthen our value as the nation’s trusted partner for space.
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Portraits of Steve Isakowitz and Mike Donley

Navigating Through the Perfect Storm

In a year of unprecedented change, The Aerospace Corporation continued to deliver the trusted technical expertise and objective analysis that have defined our company for more than 60 years, supporting our customers across the space enterprise as they work to advance our nation’s leading role in space.
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Launch control room with socially distant people with masks

Resilience Through COVID-19 and the New Normal

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Aerospace continued to deliver for our customers by adapting with resilience, innovation and velocity, overcoming unprecedented challenges to ensure mission success while prioritizing the health and wellbeing of our people.
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Rocket launching from pad

AEHF-6: Aerospace Rapidly Adapts for COVID-19 to Support Space Force’s First Launch

Aerospace exercised our comprehensive launch verification process to augment ULA’s internal mission assurance process to ensure success for the U.S. Space Force’s inaugural flight.
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Artist rendering of CubeSat orbiting earth

New COVID-19 Norms Foster Agile Smallsat Innovation

As a result of COVID-19, Aerospace engineers have pioneered new, innovative means of accomplishing laser alignment communications remotely, in compliance with new health safety guidelines.
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How Aerospace is Shaping the Workplace of the Future

Aerospace has embarked on an effort to envision how our future workforce will operate and the tools, training and support we’ll need to accomplish our mission.
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Aerospace 60th Anniversary

History of Aerospace Timeline

Aerospace was incorporated on June 3, 1960 during the dawn of the space age and our early years were defined by the ambitious projects that continue to shape the space enterprise today. This interactive timeline allows you to take a journey through our rich history and proud legacy of technical excellence and commitment to mission success as the nation’s trusted partner.
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Support Where It's Needed Most

Aerospace works side by side with our customers wherever they are, staffing two dozen locations across 11 states, anchored by our two largest campuses, in El Segundo, Calif., and Chantilly, Va. This past year saw growth across Aerospace’s network of campuses, including continued expansion at our Colorado Springs, Colo., Albuquerque, N.M., and Huntsville, Ala., locations.
Shaping the Future
Artist rendering of Earth, Moon, and Mars

Space Agenda 2021: Informing the Future of Space

Space exploration, development, and security are increasingly important elements of national policy and strategy. Aerospace has created a series of discussion papers—Space Agenda 2021—on topics already at the forefront, or likely to emerge in the next few years.
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The Value of Space

Space-based services have become fundamental to daily life, but there’s more going on in space than you may realize. How does our modern world rely on space?
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Artist rendering of President George Washington in a space suit

The Space Policy Show

While COVID-19 disrupted many planned in-person events this year, the demand for thoughtful analysis and discussion of the latest issues and ideas in space was as high as ever. Aerospace’s Center for Space Policy and Strategy launched The Space Policy Show to meet that need.
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Mission Success
Launch of Falcon 9 rocket with GPS III aboard

Launch in the New Normal: Space Force's GPS III-3

The GPS III-3 launch was the first National Security Space Launch mission to include recovery of the first-stage booster. Aerospace's team again relied on our technical excellence and dedication to mission success in support of the effort.
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Picture of Dragon Crew before launch

NASA/SpaceX's Demo-2: A New Era for Human Spaceflight

Aerospace provides crucial support to the Commercial Crew Program, with embedded roles on the NASA team able to leverage the FFRDC’s depth of knowledge and technical expertise.
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Launch of Atlas V rocket

Atlas V USSF-7 Launch: The (Space) Force Is with You

In support of the U.S. Space Force's second launch, Aerospace continued to enhance the remote capabilities that were demonstrated during the successful AEHF-6 launch.
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Outpacing the Threat
People digging on site for ground breaking of new facility

Aerospace Breaks Ground for New State-of-the-Art Colorado Springs Facility

Aerospace’s second state-of-the-art research and development facility in Colorado Springs, Colo., will be the focal point for delivering technical expertise across the space enterprise to outpace threats to national security.
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Picture of a pair of AeroCube 10's in lab

CubeSats Get Close: Proximity Operation with Interesting Implications

One of Aerospace’s CubeSats photographed its twin satellite from 22 meters away in a demonstration of the type of technology that could enable inspection and servicing missions.
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Artist rendering of space warfighting scenerio

Space Warfighting in the Modern Era

The Space Warfighter Initiative (SWI) leverages Aerospace's decades of deep institutional technical expertise in developing a capability to analytically evaluate the tactical, operational and strategic levels of warfighting.
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Innovation
Assembly of T-case fever indicator in xLab facility

New xLab Facility Enhances Aerospace’s Prototyping Capabilities

The newly unveiled xLab facility will equip our technical experts to build innovative prototypes and instruments to advance space technology.
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Artist concept of outpacing the threat in space systems

Innovating for Continuous Production Agility

Aerospace is developing the innovative technologies, standards, and processes to help realize a Continuous Production Agility strategy that emphasizes for speed, adaptability, and resilience.
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Picture of electric propulsion chamber being installed on campus

New Electric Propulsion Chamber Explores the Future of Space Travel

Aerospace's world-class electric propulsion testing facility will test the newer, high-powered thrusters needed for future space exploration.
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The Brightest Minds of Today

Solving the nation’s hardest problems means recruiting and retaining the brightest minds available.

Our collective expertise spans fields from math, chemistry, and physics to mechanical, aeronautical, and electrical engineering, drawn from private industry, academia, and government talent pools. More than two-thirds of Aerospace’s technical staff holds an advanced degree, with 780 holding a Ph.D. in their respective fields.

Together, Aerospace’s technical staff have an average of 26 years of technical experience, with many finding a long-term home with the company to grow their careers and maximize their impact.

Commitment to Our People

Picture of diverse interns at orientation

Aerospace's Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Aerospace’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Executive Diversity Council established a new strategic framework to augment and reinforce our efforts in creating long-lasting impact for a diverse and inclusive workplace where our people are empowered to bring their best selves to collaborate and create the best solutions for our customers.
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Students walking out of STARS facility

Effecting Change Through the Aerospace Committee for Equality

The Aerospace Committee for Equality (ACE) is leading our holistic effort that spans across the enterprise to address six critical Focus Areas: Recruitment, Representation, Retention, Education and Training, K-12 STEM Outreach and Community Outreach.
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Person being scanned in front of T-case fever indicator stand

Keeping Our People Safe Against COVID-19

Commitment to our people is a pillar of Aerospace's values. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our leaders took critical steps to prioritize the safety and wellbeing of our employees as we continued to deliver on the mission.
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  • Whether it was adapting to remote offices at home or working safely onsite for mission essential business in support of our customers, Aerospace employees navigated through a year of unprecedented challenges with agility, resiliency and velocity.
    Whether it was adapting to remote offices at home or working safely onsite for mission essential business in support of our customers, Aerospace employees navigated through a year of unprecedented challenges with agility, resiliency and velocity.
  • Aerospace President and CEO Steve Isakowitz meets with Gen. John F. Thompson, Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center. [Nov. 8, 2019]
    Aerospace President and CEO Steve Isakowitz meets with Gen. John F. Thompson, Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center. [Nov. 8, 2019]
  • Then and now: The Aerospace library building from our El Segundo campus shown here as we celebrate our 60th anniversary. [Feb. 10, 2020]
    Then and now: The Aerospace library building from our El Segundo campus shown here as we celebrate our 60th anniversary. [Feb. 10, 2020]
  • Aerospace's Albuquerque campus continued to ascend to new heights, reaching a major hiring milestone and securing a significant contract to support the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) mission. [Jan. 17, 2020]
    Aerospace's Albuquerque campus continued to ascend to new heights, reaching a major hiring milestone and securing a significant contract to support the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) mission. [Jan. 17, 2020]
  • Dr. Mark L McKelvin Jr., Senior Engineering Specialist in the Systems Engineering and Launch Division, was awarded the Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA) STEM Global Competitiveness Conference Most Promising Engineer Award. [Feb. 14, 2020]
    Dr. Mark L McKelvin Jr., Senior Engineering Specialist in the Systems Engineering and Launch Division, was awarded the Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA) STEM Global Competitiveness Conference Most Promising Engineer Award. [Feb. 14, 2020]
  • Aerospace's "Mission Assurance Summit" hosted leaders from every major U.S. space program at its Chantilly, Va. campus to discuss the challenges facing the future of space. [Nov. 14, 2019]
    Aerospace's "Mission Assurance Summit" hosted leaders from every major U.S. space program at its Chantilly, Va. campus to discuss the challenges facing the future of space. [Nov. 14, 2019]
  • Alonzo Lopez, a member of the technical staff, adjusts a robotic arm in xLab, the prototyping facility at Aerospace. [Nov. 14, 2019]
    Alonzo Lopez, a member of the technical staff, adjusts a robotic arm in xLab, the prototyping facility at Aerospace. [Nov. 14, 2019]
  • Board of Trustees members tour Aerospace’s Physical Sciences Laboratories, which is responsible for foundational and applied scientific research to support across national security space (NSS), NASA/civil programs, industry, and academia. [Dec. 11, 2019]
    Board of Trustees members tour Aerospace’s Physical Sciences Laboratories, which is responsible for foundational and applied scientific research to support across national security space (NSS), NASA/civil programs, industry, and academia. [Dec. 11, 2019]
  • Aerospace’s Physical Sciences Laboratories consists of 80,000 square feet of laboratory space for over 70 individual laboratories and 250 scientists and researchers. [Nov. 13, 2019]
    Aerospace’s Physical Sciences Laboratories consists of 80,000 square feet of laboratory space for over 70 individual laboratories and 250 scientists and researchers. [Nov. 13, 2019]
  • Aerospace partnered with the Inglewood School District to pilot STEM Bridge, a new program that aims to expose students to a STEM curriculum while encouraging them to develop the “soft” skills they’ll need for lifelong success, such as communication and teamwork. [March 4, 2020]
    Aerospace partnered with the Inglewood School District to pilot STEM Bridge, a new program that aims to expose students to a STEM curriculum while encouraging them to develop the “soft” skills they’ll need for lifelong success, such as communication and teamwork. [March 4, 2020]
  • Aerospace’s MAHI and Mako sensor was used in four government-sponsored hyperspectral imagery (HSI) collection campaigns to measure infrared radiation (i.e., heat) emitted by the land and atmosphere. [Sept. 30, 2020]
    Aerospace’s MAHI and Mako sensor was used in four government-sponsored hyperspectral imagery (HSI) collection campaigns to measure infrared radiation (i.e., heat) emitted by the land and atmosphere. [Sept. 30, 2020]
  • Aerospace prioritized employee safety across the enterprise to avoid the spread of COVID-19, rapidly shifting the majority of its workforce to a remote work environment and providing resources to support its people. [March 12, 2020]
    Aerospace prioritized employee safety across the enterprise to avoid the spread of COVID-19, rapidly shifting the majority of its workforce to a remote work environment and providing resources to support its people. [March 12, 2020]
  • Aerospace employees put their innovative minds to good use, developing infrared temperature scanners used to help keep our people safe across our various campuses nationwide. [July 8, 2020]
    Aerospace employees put their innovative minds to good use, developing infrared temperature scanners used to help keep our people safe across our various campuses nationwide. [July 8, 2020]
  • Aerospace broke ground for its new state-of-the-art research and development center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The facility will be the focal point for delivering technical expertise across the space enterprise to outpace threats to national security. [Sept. 23, 2020]
    Aerospace broke ground for its new state-of-the-art research and development center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The facility will be the focal point for delivering technical expertise across the space enterprise to outpace threats to national security. [Sept. 23, 2020]
  • Adapting to COVID-19 conditions, Aerospace used remote STARS capability to support the launch of SpaceX’s Falcon 9, the first National Security Space Launch mission to include recovery of the first stage booster. [Oct. 2, 2020]
    Adapting to COVID-19 conditions, Aerospace used remote STARS capability to support the launch of SpaceX’s Falcon 9, the first National Security Space Launch mission to include recovery of the first stage booster. [Oct. 2, 2020]
  • Aerospace’s xLab, our state-of-the-art prototyping facility, underwent a total renovation. [Aug. 26, 2020]
    Aerospace’s xLab, our state-of-the-art prototyping facility, underwent a total renovation. [Aug. 26, 2020]
  • Aerospace’s Board of Trustee’s met virtually throughout the year in order to maintain COVID-19 posture. [June 11, 2020
    Aerospace’s Board of Trustee’s met virtually throughout the year in order to maintain COVID-19 posture. [June 11, 2020
  • Aerial drone footage of The Aerospace Corporation’s headquarters in El Segundo, California.
    Aerial drone footage of The Aerospace Corporation’s headquarters in El Segundo, California.

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