The Commercial Space Federation announced on August 31, 2026 that it welcomed Outlier and Rendezvous Robotics as new associate members. Founded in 2006, the Commercial Space Federation (CSF) works to broaden access to space for scientists, students, businesses and the public while supporting U.S. leadership in aerospace and advocating for supportive policy with Congress. Outlier, based in Washington, D.C., focuses on making microgravity accessible through a reusable satellite platform that enables safe return to Earth. The company’s technical team has more than 40 years of combined aerospace experience, and its divisions have delivered mission‑critical systems. Outlier’s customer values include reliability, transparency, simplicity and collaboration, and it offers end‑to‑end support for payload integration and spacecraft return. Joining the Commercial Space Federation community puts us alongside organizations shaping the future of commercial space. It helps ensure we’re engaged in the conversations that matter as we work to accelerate the space economy with a scalable, reusable, uncrewed satellite platform, said Nick Pearson, head of operations at Outlier. Rendezvous Robotics, also based in Washington, D.C., develops spacecraft that assemble in orbit using magnetic self‑assembly technology demonstrated on the International Space Station. The company’s modular architecture is designed to scale and reconfigure as mission requirements change. In‑space assembly enables new missions and capabilities that are constrained today by how spacecraft must be built to fit inside a rocket, said Joe Landon, co‑founder and president of Rendezvous Robotics. Joining the Commercial Space Federation gives us the opportunity to work alongside the companies shaping this next era and help advance the policies, partnerships and operating environment needed to make modular, adaptable spacecraft a reality. The additions expand CSF’s membership base and may contribute to the growth of the commercial space economy, though the long‑term impact remains to be seen.