Competing in the Space Industry: A Guide for Pennsylvania Manufacturers

The space economy is no longer the exclusive domain of government agencies or defense giants. In a recent DVIRC-hosted presentation, Jon Kirchner—President of Perfero Advisory and a member of DVIRC’s Board of Directors—laid out a compelling vision for how manufacturers in Southeastern Pennsylvania can step into the rapidly growing commercial space sector.

From Niche to Necessity

Space was once the realm of large, government-led missions operated by agencies like NASA, NOAA, and the NRO. But with the consumerization of GPS in the 1980s and the dramatic reduction in launch costs, a shift began. Recent innovations—especially in hardware miniaturization and low-cost launch platforms—have opened the door for a new wave of private-sector innovation.

These changes have transformed space from a niche into a fast-scaling commercial and defense marketplace—one where manufacturers of all sizes can play a role.

The Expanding Space Market Landscape

According to Kirchner, today’s space economy now spans three key domains:

• Space to Earth: satellite communications, GPS, Earth observation

• Space to Space: in-orbit servicing, satellite-to-satellite links, autonomous systems

• Cis-Lunar & Beyond: systems designed for lunar exploration and deeper space missions

Commercial activity has exploded across all these domains, with demand coming from both traditional government sources and a growing number of private companies.

What Space Buyers Need

Kirchner provided a clear list of capabilities and competencies that are actively sought across government, defense, and commercial space sectors. These include:

• High-performance materials
• Thermal management
• Autonomy and robotics
• Radio frequency (RF) systems and antennas
• Sensors
• Lasers and optical systems
• Nuclear, energy, and power systems
• Radiation-hardened materials and electronics
• High-precision and tight-tolerance machining
• Cybersecurity and secure communications
• Semiconductors and edge compute
• On-orbit propulsion
• Optical communications terminals
• Solar panels and batteries
• Star-trackers
• Avionics
• Specialty coatings

These technologies underpin everything from satellite communications and Earth observation to in-space servicing and deep space exploration. Kirchner emphasized that many of these needs align well with the capabilities of small and mid-sized manufacturers—especially those with backgrounds in aerospace, defense, or precision industrial production.

What It Takes to Compete

Kirchner was clear that opportunity comes with responsibility. To win contracts and scale within the space sector, manufacturers must invest in:

• AS9100 certification (ISO 9001 alone is not sufficient)

• Cybersecurity compliance, including CMMC

• Cleanroom facilities, testing capabilities, and documentation systems

• Familiarity with federal acquisition rules, including ITAR, DFARS, and DCAA audit readiness

He also discussed the value of understanding contracting models (e.g., IDIQ, firm fixed price), and navigating resources like SAM.gov and Acquisition.gov.

For companies unsure about going it alone, he emphasized the importance of partnering with integrators and leveraging government programs like SBIR, STTR, and STRATFI to de-risk entry into the sector.

The Regional Advantage

The Keystone tri-state region is already home to critical infrastructure, a robust technical workforce, and a legacy of contribution to space missions and innovation. Organizations like the Keystone Space Collaborative and DVIRC are working to grow this regional ecosystem—making it easier for manufacturers to connect with buyers, integrators, and programs that can accelerate their path into the space supply chain.

With the space economy projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2030–2040, now is the moment for Southeastern PA’s manufacturers to act.

Interested in getting started?

About Jon Kirchner

Jon Kirchner is President of Perfero Advisory, a management consultancy focused on space, automation, and industrial markets. He is a 25+ year veteran of the space, aerospace, and manufacturing sectors, with executive leadership experience at companies including BlackSky, Markel, and Globecomm. Jon serves on the Board of Directors at DVIRC and is a member of the advisory board for the Keystone Space Collaborative.