Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Forward Thinking

Space: the final supply chain frontier

An infographic developed by Florida Tech University illustrates the size and complexity of space project supply chains.

Space: the final supply chain frontier

Think you have problems managing supply chains here on earth? Try doing it in outer space. Transporting people, technology, and equipment between earth and space is a uniquely complex and costly mission, according to "The Space Supply Chain Today and Tomorrow," an infographic created by Florida Tech University Online's supply chain master's program.

The "by the numbers" graphic lists interesting facts about what it calls "Mankind's biggest supply chain": the number of suppliers in the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) supply chain (1,500), the number of satellite and rocket launches in 2011 (84), and the payload cost per pound to enter orbit (US $6,000 for low-earth orbit; $30,000 for geosynchronous transfer orbit). Cost to ship one gallon of water to the moon: $690,000.


Florida Tech's supply chain gurus say the next step in space supply chain design will be setting up bases and distribution networks on asteroids and the moon. They should know: The university's original mission was to provide advanced education for scientists, engineers, and technicians at what is now NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center, and the university counts several astronauts and many NASA managers among its graduates.

View the infographic here.

Recent

More Stories

robots working in factories

North American manufacturers cut back on robot orders in Q1 and Q2

The North American robotics market saw a decline in both units ordered (down 7.9% to 15,705 units) and revenue (down 6.8% to $982.83 million) during the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, as North American manufacturers faced ongoing economic headwinds, according to a report from the Association for Advancing Automation (A3).

“Rising inflation and borrowing costs have dampened spending on robotics, with many companies opting to delay major investments,” said Jeff Burnstein, president, A3. “Despite these challenges, the push for operational efficiency and workforce augmentation continues to drive demand for robotics in industries such as food and consumer goods and life sciences, among others. As companies navigate labor shortages and increased production costs, the role of automation is becoming ever more critical in maintaining global competitiveness.”

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

Logistics activity expanded in September
LMI/CSCMP

Logistics activity expanded in September

Economic activity in the logistics industry expanded for the 10th straight month in September, reaching its highest reading in two years, according to the latest Logistics Managers’ Index (LMI) report, released this week.

The LMI registered 58.6, up more than two points from August’s reading and its highest level since September 2022.

Keep ReadingShow less
logo images ILA dockworkers union USMX ports

Strike ends: East Coast dockworkers return to work

Dockworkers at dozens of U.S. East and Gulf coast ports are returning to work tonight, ending a three-day strike that had paralyzed the flow of around 50% of all imports and exports in the United States during ocean peak season.

In identical statements posted to their websites, the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA)—the union representing some 45,000 workers—and the United States Maritime Alliance Ltd. (USMX) said they had struck a deal.

Keep ReadingShow less
team collaborating on data with laptops

Gartner: data governance strategy is key to making AI pay off

Supply chain planning (SCP) leaders working on transformation efforts are focused on two major high-impact technology trends, composite AI and supply chain data governance, according to a study from Gartner, Inc.

"SCP leaders are in the process of developing transformation roadmaps that will prioritize delivering on advanced decision intelligence and automated decision making," Eva Dawkins, Director Analyst in Gartner’s Supply Chain practice, said in a release. "Composite AI, which is the combined application of different AI techniques to improve learning efficiency, will drive the optimization and automation of many planning activities at scale, while supply chain data governance is the foundational key for digital transformation.”

Keep ReadingShow less
manufacturing job growth in US factories

Savills “cautiously optimistic” on future of U.S. manufacturing boom

The U.S. manufacturing sector has become an engine of new job creation over the past four years, thanks to a combination of federal incentives and mega-trends like nearshoring and the clean energy boom, according to the industrial real estate firm Savills.

While those manufacturing announcements have softened slightly from their 2022 high point, they remain historically elevated. And the sector’s growth outlook remains strong, regardless of the results of the November U.S. presidential election, the company said in its September “Savills Manufacturing Report.”

Keep ReadingShow less