What Happened
Report Reveals Extensive Reliance on Chinese Manufacturing and Taiwanese Semiconductors
A new report from Altana, a supply-chain intelligence firm, has found that the US commercial space industry is heavily dependent on components sourced from Chinese suppliers. The report analyzed supply chains tied to 299 US commercial space contractors and found that over 849,000 commercial space imports had exposure to Chinese suppliers at the third tier of the supply chain or further upstream. The findings highlight the need for greater visibility into lower-tier suppliers and the potential risks associated with relying on adversarial supply chains. According to SpaceNews, the report’s findings come as the Pentagon increasingly relies on commercial satellite operators and launch companies for national security programs.