Space industry lacks workers needed to rebuild satellites lost in war: report
The RAND report “Breaking Glass, Missing Hands,” published Aug. 31, examines how quickly the United States could replace satellites and supporting systems lost early in a protracted conflict. It sets a reconstitution benchmark of 12 to 24 months—far more demanding than the roughly decade the report says it typically takes to replace an aging satellite. The authors argue that existing workforce gaps could take years to close, putting that timeline out of reach for the period between 2027 and 2032.
The study was sponsored by Gen. Michael Guetlein (now the Golden Dome director) while serving as vice chief of space operations. Conducted by RAND Project AIR FORCE as part of a fiscal 2024 project titled “In Emergency, Break Glass,” it was led by Alexandra Gerber. Researchers analyzed federal labor and education statistics from October 2024 through March 2025 and interviewed industry representatives and education administrators from May through July 2025.
The report divides the space-supporting workforce into three categories. The first, engineers, has nearly 3 million Americans in jobs requiring at least a bachelor's degree, but only about 3% work in industries RAND counted as space-supporting: satellite communications, semiconductors, and nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing (optical glass). Aerospace manufacturing was not included. RAND estimates these industries account for roughly 7,000 of 208,000 annual engineering job openings, noting that space has little leverage against higher-paying, more flexible employers in AI, software, and data analytics.
The second category, “skilled touch labor,” includes the technicians and assemblers who physically build spacecraft. Based on 2023 Bureau of Labor Statistics figures, about 30,000 annual technician openings exist, but only about 11,000 people earn the necessary qualifications each year. For assemblers—including cleanroom technicians—there are about 244,000 annual openings against just 13,000 credentialed workers per year, a 19-to-1 gap. The space industry accounts for a small share of that demand but competes for the same pool as semiconductor manufacturers.
The third category takes the longest to build: specialists who advance infrared and electro-optical detection, and engineers who design systems to survive natural and man-made radiation. Qualified candidates hold master's or doctoral degrees, and the expertise can take 15 years or more to develop. The report notes that few schools offer such specialized training, further constraining the pipeline.