Methodology & editorial standards

OrbitalIntel exists to be a reliable reference, so how we produce a page matters as much as the page itself. This is our process.

Sourcing

We build every explainer on public, open-source information: government and agency publications, published defense contracts and budget documents, company filings and investor materials, peer-reviewed and industry technical literature, and reputable trade press. We link to primary sources wherever one exists so you can verify a claim yourself. We do not publish classified, leaked, or export-controlled material.

Accuracy and updates

Facts in this sector move, valuations change, programs are renamed, satellites launch or fail. Each page carries a “last updated” date, and we revise pages when a material fact changes rather than leaving a stale claim standing. When we describe something that has been announced but not yet done, we say so explicitly and separate plans from reality.

Investing content

Our investing pages are educational reference, not recommendations. We explain how a company is structured, whether its shares are publicly traded, and the mechanics of the routes an investor might use, never “buy this.” Private-company valuations and “publicly traded” status are exactly the facts most likely to change, so we date them and urge verification with a primary source or a licensed professional.

Announced vs. existing

Space and defense reporting is full of programs that have been announced, funded, or demonstrated once but do not yet exist as fielded capability. We keep those categories distinct. When a page describes something like a proposed missile-defense architecture, it says plainly what has been ordered or tested versus what is still a plan on paper. Treating an ambition as a fact is one of the most common ways space coverage misleads, and we work to avoid it.

Corrections

If you find an error, tell us. We correct confirmed mistakes promptly and, for anything substantive, note what changed. A link to the page and a primary source for the correct fact helps us act quickly.

What we don't do

We don't publish rumor, unsourced specifications, or classified material, and we don't chase every launch and press release, the space press covers the news cycle well, and duplicating it thinly would make this a worse reference. We also don't dress speculation up as reporting. When something is genuinely uncertain or contested, we say so and explain the disagreement rather than picking a side and stating it as fact.

Independence & disclosure

OrbitalIntel is independent and not affiliated with any agency, contractor, or covered company. Where a page contains affiliate or sponsored links, we disclose it, see our disclosure page.