Space and Aerospace

With the advent of atmospheric weapons and the creation of the Space Force as the newest branch of the U.S. military, space has never been more crucial to national security. CSIS examines the technological, budgetary, and policy issues inherent to the space domain.

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Photo: Liza/Adobe Stock

Photo: Liza/Adobe Stock

When to Use (and Not Use) “As a Service” for Government Space Requirements

Instead of buying a piece of equipment, which the government then owns and operates, the government is increasingly turning to “as-a-service” models for buying things from space. But how should the government decide between a service model or a traditional one?

Report by Clayton Swope — January 22, 2026

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Experts


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Kari Bingen
Director, Aerospace Security Project and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
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Tom Karako
Director, Missile Defense Project and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
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Clayton Swope
Deputy Director, Aerospace Security Project and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
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Benjamin Jensen
Director, Futures Lab and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
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Lauryn Williams
Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, Strategic Technologies Program