Skip to content
MarketScale
‹ Back to IndustriesSciences

Vaya Space is on a Mission to Reduce Risk & Cost in Space Exploration

Small satellites are categorized by weight, under 500 kg or 1100lb, developed for navigation, communication, earth observation, and other activities. Fortune Business Insights projects the market to reach 10.75 B in 2028. Vaya Space is poised to take its fair share of the market in small satellite launches in the future. Vaya delivers safer launches…

This story was produced through MarketScale. See how Sciences teams put it to work with Executive Thought Leadership.

By Grant Harrell · SatelliteSmall SatelliteSpace AccessibilityVaya Space
Share

Key takeaways

01

Small satellites are categorized by weight, under 500 kg or 1100lb, developed for navigation, communication, earth observation, and other activities.

02

Fortune Business Insights projects the market to reach 10.75 B in 2028.

03

Vaya Space is poised to take its fair share of the market in small satellite launches in the future.

Small satellites are categorized by weight, under 500 kg or 1100lb, developed for navigation, communication, earth observation, and other activities. Fortune Business Insights projects the market to reach 10.75 B in 2028. Vaya Space is poised to take its fair share of the market in small satellite launches in the future. Vaya delivers safer launches at a greater than 25% lower cost, utilizing “2 million recycled plastic bottles per launch,” said Brent Willis, CEO of Vaya Space.

Sid Gutierrez, astronaut and Chairman of the Vaya Space Board of Directors, said that safety is at the core. “We value our people, so safety is our first value.” Without prioritizing safety, the company would be moot. “Safety is the cornerstone of any successful endeavor. Very few projects survive a major accident,” said Gutierrez.

Risk, cost, and reliability hinder space exploration and access. Guiterrez said, “amazingly, these things are all interconnected.” Fewer moving parts translates to fewer opportunities for things to go wrong. Willis said, “the elegant simplicity of Vaya’s approach equates to significantly more reliability and a sustainable cost advantage.” Simple systems are safer and more reliable. In turn, both of these features drive down costs.

Sustainable in cost and production is at the heart of Vaya Space. By incorporating 2 million plastic bottles into the output of each satellite, the company helps rid the earth of otherwise harmful waste. Vaya Space is a genuinely purpose-driven company. More users will migrate to satellites as safety and reliability become enmeshed in regular practice.

Vaya Space focuses on the small satellite market because they know it offers recurring revenue. When satellites return to earth, they can be relaunched and generate new revenue. According to Space.com, companies like Orbex are on the same path. Orbex just unveiled a prototype for a reusable rocket in Scotland. For now, Vaya knows where its focus is, and Willis pressed its importance when he said, “Companies that fail to focus – one thing happens, they fail.”

Mixed Reality is Helping to Make Flight Simulation Training a Truly Immersive Experience

How One MRO Company is Creatively Overcoming the Industry’s Talent Shortage

About the author

GH
Grant HarrellHead of Transportation/Mobility & Host of "Are We There Yet?" video podcast series

Asking the most exciting, innovative, cutting-edge companies in transportation/mobility the “Are We There Yet?” question is a lot of fun, and the focus of Grant Harrell's top video podcast series! And, it’s not a bad question as so much is truly happening in this space today. What used to be trains, planes, and automobiles is now robots, drones, and spaceships, and Grant is curious about how soon we are all going to see these technologies in action, at scale. Very few of us enjoy a car that drives itself, have dinner delivered via drone, or have taken a vacation to space, but these amazing technologies and applications, as Grant discovers within his "Are We There Yet?" podcast series, are here, or as he likes to say, "we're there"! Grant also serves as the Head of Transportation/Mobility for MarketScale, one of the fastest-growing, most-successful, fun b2b media companies in the industry! MarketScale works behind the scenes for many of the top brands today, building their brand, engaging their communities, and telling their incredible stories! Within Grant's leadership of MarketScale's Transportation/Mobility division, he enjoys working with top companies within automotive to aviation, micro-mobility to marine, drones to space exploration, and everyone in between. And, Grant encourages you to reach out to him directly and set up a meeting, because as he says, "whats the point of all of this transportation/mobility technology development if we aren't headed somewhere fun to meet someone interesting"!

Sciences: are you visible to AI?

Before they reach out, Sciences buyers ask AI engines which vendors to trust. See how AI describes your company today, and where competitors show up instead.

Free workspace

You just read one expert. Imagine publishing your whole team.

This article was produced through MarketScale. Create a free workspace and turn your own team's expertise into articles, video, and social posts. No credit card, no demo required.

NPS +73 · 1,000+ creators · 38+ countries

What you get, free

Your own MarketScale Studio workspace
One video edit a month, on us
AI writing, editing, and publishing tools
In-platform coaching to learn the system

More Sciences Insights

Biopharma's $300 Billion Problem Is Driving the Biggest M&A Cycle in a Decade

Biopharma's $300 Billion Problem Is Driving the Biggest M&A Cycle in a Decade

The pharmaceutical industry is facing a significant challenge as over $300 billion in branded pharmaceutical revenue is set to lose patent protection by 2030. This revenue gap is driving the largest merger and acquisition cycle seen in a decade, with companies seeking external growth through acquisitions. This shift is impacting the entire life sciences supply chain, prompting strategic changes across the industry.

  • 01Over $300 billion in pharmaceutical revenue is at risk due to patent expirations by 2030.
  • 02Big Pharma is engaging in an aggressive cycle of mergers and acquisitions.
  • 03The acquisitions are reshaping the life sciences supply chain.

Jun 29, 2026

Quotient Sciences launches Phase I study of what it calls the first AI-formulated drug in the clinic

Quotient Sciences launches Phase I study of what it calls the first AI-formulated drug in the clinic

Quotient Sciences has initiated a Phase I clinical study at its UK facility for an oral solid dose formulation designed using artificial intelligence — what the company believes is the first AI-formulated drug to reach human clinical evaluation. The study, cleared by the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, will assess safety and pharmacokinetics in healthy volunteers. The program, which used Intrepid Labs' machine learning algorithm, signals a broader shift in how contract drug development organizations are integrating AI across formulation and clinical workflows.

  • 01Quotient Sciences initiated a Phase I study of an AI-designed oral solid dose formulation at its UK facility following MHRA approval — the first such case the company believes has been reported.
  • 02The formulation was developed using Intrepid Labs' advanced machine learning algorithm in combination with Quotient Sciences' Translational Pharmaceutics platform.
  • 03The milestone is part of a broader CRDMO strategy to embed AI-enabled approaches across formulation development and clinical workflows, with implications for the wider contract pharma sector.

Jun 17, 2026

Quotient Sciences launches Phase I trial of what it calls the first AI-formulated drug to reach the clinic

Quotient Sciences launches Phase I trial of what it calls the first AI-formulated drug to reach the clinic

Quotient Sciences has initiated a Phase I clinical study of an oral solid dose formulation designed using AI, cleared by the UK's MHRA and conducted at the company's UK facility. The trial—built on machine learning algorithms from partner Intrepid Labs and Quotient's Translational Pharmaceutics platform—aims to validate AI as a direct contributor to formulation design rather than just an upstream analytical tool. Benchling characterizes the broader moment as biotech entering a "builder phase," in which leading organizations embed AI capability at the bench level rather than running isolated pilots.

  • 01Quotient Sciences has dosed healthy volunteers in a Phase I study it describes as the first clinical evaluation of an AI-designed oral formulation, following approval from the UK's MHRA.
  • 02The formulation was developed using advanced machine learning algorithms from Intrepid Labs, integrated with Quotient Sciences' Translational Pharmaceutics platform.
  • 03Benchling identifies a sector-wide shift toward embedding AI capability directly at the bench, moving beyond isolated pilots to structural adoption across biotech R&D.

Jun 17, 2026

Explore More Sciences Insights

Read more expert perspectives from across Sciences.

Browse Sciences Hub

About the Expert

GH
Grant Harrell

Head of Transportation/Mobility & Host of "Are We There Yet?" video podcast series

Asking the most exciting, innovative, cutting-edge companies in transportation/mobility the “Are We There Yet?” question is a lot of fun, and the focus of Grant Harrell's top video podcast series! And, it’s not a bad question as so much is truly happening in this space today. What used to be trains, planes, and automobiles is now robots, drones, and spaceships, and Grant is curious about how soon we are all going to see these technologies in action, at scale. Very few of us enjoy a car that drives itself, have dinner delivered via drone, or have taken a vacation to space, but these amazing technologies and applications, as Grant discovers within his "Are We There Yet?" podcast series, are here, or as he likes to say, "we're there"! Grant also serves as the Head of Transportation/Mobility for MarketScale, one of the fastest-growing, most-successful, fun b2b media companies in the industry! MarketScale works behind the scenes for many of the top brands today, building their brand, engaging their communities, and telling their incredible stories! Within Grant's leadership of MarketScale's Transportation/Mobility division, he enjoys working with top companies within automotive to aviation, micro-mobility to marine, drones to space exploration, and everyone in between. And, Grant encourages you to reach out to him directly and set up a meeting, because as he says, "whats the point of all of this transportation/mobility technology development if we aren't headed somewhere fun to meet someone interesting"!