Solid rocket motors may sound like a niche technology, but they're critical to the space launch industry. According to SpaceNews, Northrop Grumman—one of the leading manufacturers—says the industry is ready to significantly scale production. The challenge? Suppliers need longer-term contracts to justify the investment in new capacity. Billions of dollars in private space investment have created strong demand, but without predictable multi-year orders, manufacturers can't ramp up efficiently. In other words, Northrop is saying: give us commitment, and we can deliver the engines to power the next generation of space launches.

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