A Guide to Press Releases for Entrepreneurs

Mastering the Message

The space industry operates on a stage unlike any other. Its successes are sources of national pride and public wonder, while its failures are public, expensive, and sometimes tragic. For companies in this high-stakes field – from launch providers and satellite manufacturers to data analytics firms and exploration startups – communicating effectively isn’t just good marketing. It’s a core operational necessity. The press release remains a foundational tool in this effort, but the unique nature of space demands a specialized approach.

A press release about a new software update might be dry, but a press release about a rocket launch carries inherent drama. The challenge for space companies is to harness this excitement without sacrificing accuracy or overwhelming a non-technical audience. This article provides a detailed guide on how to write press releases for space-related companies, focusing on translating complex engineering into compelling, understandable narratives for the public, investors, and the media.

Why the Space Industry is Different

Communicating about space presents a unique set of challenges. The subject matter is often deeply technical, rooted in orbital mechanics, aerospace engineering, and complex physics. A typical journalist or member of the public doesn’t have a background in these fields. They can’t easily grasp the significance of a successful “hot-fire test” or a new “specific impulse” milestone.

Furthermore, timelines in space are long. A mission to an outer planet can take a decade from conception to data return. This requires a communication strategy that can sustain interest over years, not just days. The industry is also defined by binary outcomes. A launch either works or it doesn’t. This high-stakes environment means that public relations (PR) must be prepared for both spectacular success and rapid, transparent crisis management.

Finally, the audience for a space company’s news is incredibly diverse. It includes:

• The General Public: Often fascinated by the wonder of space exploration but easily lost in the details.
• Investors: Who are looking for clear signs of progress, contract wins, and a return on investment.
• Government & Regulatory Bodies: Partners like NASA or the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) who require precise and responsible communication.
• Customers: Other companies or agencies (like Intelsat or the Space Force) who need to see their payload is in good hands.
• The Scientific Community: A technical audience that does want the details, but usually through different channels (like scientific papers).

The press release must serve the first three groups, acting as a bridge between the engineering team and the outside world.

Defining the “Story” Before Writing a Word

Before a single word is written, the communication team must answer one question: “What is the actualnews?” Too many space industry press releases make the mistake of celebrating a milestone that is internally important but externally meaningless. A “successful Preliminary Design Review” is a major achievement for an engineering team, but it’s not a story for The New York Times.

Identifying the Core Announcement

The news must be a concrete event. Examples of “real” news include:

• A scheduled launch (with a date, payload, and customer).
• A successful launch and payload deployment.
• A significant new contract (e.g., “Company X selected by NASA for a $50 million contract”).
• A major funding round (e.g., “Startup Y raises $100 million Series B”).
• The release of new, understandable scientific data (e.g., “Satellite Z’s first images reveal…”).
• A major technology demonstration (e.g., “First successful flight of a new rocket”).
• An orbital anomaly or launch failure (which must be addressed).

An announcement that is not news is one that is purely aspirational without a concrete milestone. “We are planning to one day build a Moon base” isn’t a press release; it’s a blog post.

Knowing Your Audience Segments

While a single press release is sent to a wide audience, it must have a primary target.

• For an investor audience (e.g., a funding round): The focus should be on the business implications. How will this capital be used? What market is it capturing? Who are the investors? The tone is confident and strategic.
• For a public audience (e.g., a scientific discovery): The focus must be on the “wow” factor, translated into human terms. What does this discovery tell us about our planet or the universe? Why does it matter to someone on Earth?
• For a government/customer audience (e.g., a contract win): The focus is on validation and capability. It demonstrates that a major entity like the European Space Agency has trusted the company, reinforcing its reputation.

The “So What?” Test: Finding the Human Angle

This is the most important step for a non-technical audience. Every space company must aggressively ask “So what?” about its own news.

• The news: “We successfully deployed our 50th ‘Firefly’ satellite.”
• So what? “Our satellite constellation is now 20% complete.”
• So what? “This means we can begin initial service.”
• So what? “Our service provides high-speed internet to remote regions.”
• So what? “This will bring online connectivity to rural hospitals and schools in the Andes for the first time.”

That is the story. The headline isn’t “Company Deploys 50th Satellite”; it’s “New Satellite Constellation Begins Connecting Rural Schools in South America.” The technology is the enabler, not the story itself. The story is the human, economic, or scientific impact.

The Anatomy of an Effective Space Press Release

Once the story is defined, the press release can be assembled. It follows a rigid, traditional structure for a reason: journalists are busy. They need to find the essential information in seconds.

The Headline: The First 10 Seconds

The headline is everything. It must be clear, accurate, and compelling. It should contain the company’s name and the core news. It must avoid internal jargon.

• Bad Headline (Jargon): “Orion-3 Mission Completes LEO M-DACS Test Phase”
• Good Headline (Clear): “Astra Successfully Deploys Payload for NASA Mission”
• Bad Headline (Vague): “Company X Reaches New Milestone”
• Good Headline (Specific): “Rocket Lab Signs Multi-Launch Deal with BlackSky to Build Constellation”

The headline should also include relevant keywords for search engines, like “satellite,” “launch,” “NASA contract,” or the company’s name. A sub-headline can be used to add one more key detail, such as: “Mission marks the first of three dedicated launches for the climate-monitoring satellite provider.”

The Dateline and Lead Paragraph

The press release always starts with a dateline: CITY, State – (Month Day, Year) – This grounds the news in time and place.

The first paragraph, or “lead,” is the entire story in miniature. It must answer the “Five Ws”:

• Who: The company (e.g., SpaceX).
• What: The core news (e.g., successfully launched and landed its Falcon 9 rocket).
• When: The date/time of the event (e.g., this morning).
• Where: The location (e.g., from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station).
• Why: The “So What?” (e.g., to deploy the Starlink constellation, which provides global internet).

A lead paragraph might look like this:

HAWTHORNE, Calif. – (Oct. 22, 2025) – SpaceX successfully launched its 50th Falcon 9 mission of the year this morning from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The launch carried 22 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit, expanding its high-speed internet service to new regions in Southeast Asia. The rocket’s first stage successfully landed on the droneship ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’ in the Atlantic Ocean, marking the booster’s 10th successful flight and landing.

A non-technical reader instantly understands what happened, why it matters (internet in a new region), and even gets the “cool factor” (the booster landing).

The Body: Translating the Technical

The body paragraphs expand on the lead. This is where the translation from technical to accessible must happen. This section should be 2-5 paragraphs long.

Strategy 1: Analogies and Metaphors

The public can’t visualize a “2U CubeSat.” But they can visualize a “satellite the size of a shoebox.” Use relatable comparisons.

• Instead of: “The solar array has a 30-kilowatt capacity.”
• Use: “The new solar arrays generate enough power to run five average American homes.”
• Instead of: “The data downlink rate is 1.2 gigabits per second.”
• Use: “The satellite can send a full high-definition movie to a ground station in under 30 seconds.”

Strategy 2: Focusing on Impact, Not Specs

Avoid “spec-dumping.” A list of frequencies, thrust levels, or data protocols is noise to a journalist. Connect every technical detail to a real-world benefit.

• Weak (Spec-focused): “Our new ‘Observer-1’ satellite utilizes a 12-band hyperspectral imager operating in the 400-2500 nm range.”
• Strong (Impact-focused): “Our new ‘Observer-1’ satellite uses a powerful camera that can see light bands invisible to the human eye. This allows it to identify specific minerals on the ground for mining companies, or to detect water stress in crops, helping farmers pinpoint exactly where to irrigate.”

Strategy 3: Supporting Quotes (from Leadership)

Quotes are the only place in a press release where a first-person, slightly more subjective voice is allowed. They should not be used to state facts (which belong in the body) but to provide vision and context. They must sound human.

• Bad Quote (Full of jargon): “We are pleased to have achieved this Q3 milestone, which validates our synergistic integration of the new avionics suite and optimizes our LEO deployment trajectory.”
• Good Quote (Human and visionary): “This launch is a huge moment for our team,” said Jane Doe, CEO of Company X. “It’s not just about proving our technology works; it’s about starting our real mission: using data from space to help farmers grow more food with less water. This is the first step toward that goal.”

The Boilerplate: Your Company’s Context

After the main story, you include the “boilerplate.” This is a short, standardized “About” paragraph that describes your company. It should be the same in every press release. It gives journalists the context of who your company is, what it does, and where it fits in the industry.

Example:

About Planet Labs

Planet Labs PBC is a leading provider of global, daily satellite imagery and geospatial solutions. Planet is driven by a mission to image the world every day, making change visible, accessible and actionable. Founded in 2010 by three NASA scientists, Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest Earth observation fleet of imaging satellites.

The Media Contact

The final piece is the media contact. This must be a real person. It includes their name, title, email address, and (optionally) a phone number. This gives a journalist a direct line to ask follow-up questions or schedule an interview.

Navigating Common Space Industry Scenarios

The basic anatomy of a press release remains the same, but the story and focus change depending on the announcement.

Announcing a Launch

A launch is the most common and visible event for many space companies. It often requires three separate releases.

1. The Pre-Launch Release (“Launch Advisory”):
   • When: 5-7 days before the launch.
   • Focus: The “Why.” This release details the mission. What is the payload? Who is the customer? What will this satellite/mission do?
   • Example Story: “Rocket Lab is preparing to launch a critical climate-monitoring satellite for NASA’s Earth Science division.”
   • Must Include: The launch window (e.g., “The launch is scheduled for a two-hour window opening at 9:00 AM EDT on Oct. 30”), the launch site, and, importantly, a link to the live broadcast.
2. The Successful Launch Release (“Launch Success”):
   • When: As soon as possible after successful orbital insertion (often 30-60 minutes after liftoff).
   • Focus: The “What.” Confirmation of success.
   • Example Story: “Arianespace Successfully Deploys Two Telecommunication Satellites for Eutelsatand OneWeb.”
   • Must Include: Confirmation that the payload(s) were deployed into their correct orbit. If the rocket was reusable (like a Falcon 9), it must confirm the success or failure of the booster landing.
3. The Post-Launch Release (“Mission Success”):
   • When: Days or weeks later.
   • Focus: The “So What.” This confirms the payload is working.
   • Example Story: “Company X’s ‘Clarity-1’ Satellite Delivers First Test Images Following Successful Launch.”
   • Must Include: This release confirms the real mission. The launch was just the delivery. This proves the technology works and is ready to start its job.

Announcing a New Contract or Funding

For most space startups and legacy contractors like Lockheed Martin or Northrop Grumman, this is the financial lifeblood. The audience is often investors and customers.

• Focus: Validation and Capability.
• The Story (Contract): “Why did this major agency/company (like DARPA or Airbus) choose us?” The release should frame the win as a testament to the company’s unique technology or proven track record. It must specify what the contract is for (e.g., “to design a prototype for a new lunar lander,” “to provide launch services for three missions”).
• The Story (Funding): “How will this money accelerate our mission?” The release should name the lead investors (if public) and state the intended use of the funds (e.g., “to scale up satellite production,” “to fund the final development of our new engine,” “to expand our team”). This shows strategic growth.

Announcing Scientific Discoveries

This applies to organizations like NASA, SETI Institute, or companies that operate scientific instruments (like data from the Kepler Space Telescope or James Webb Space Telescope).

• Focus: The “Wow” Factor.
• The Story: This is pure storytelling. The release must translate a complex finding (e.g., “spectrographic analysis of exoplanet K2-18b shows methane”) into a breathtaking headline (e.g., “Webb Telescope Finds Possible Sign of Life on Distant Planet”).
• Key Tactic: Use analogies. “The team found a black hole 100 million times the mass of our sun.” The release must partner with the visual team to include the actual image, a render, or an infographic.

Announcing New Technology or Hardware

This is common for “downstream” space companies that build components, like engines, solar panels, or software.

• Focus: The “So What” for the customer.
• The Story: The news isn’t “We built a new reaction wheel.” The news is “Our new satellite steering wheel is 50% lighter, allowing satellite builders to add more cameras or sensors.”
• Key Tactic: Focus on the problem it solves. “Satellites have always been limited by weight. Our new electric propulsion system is the size of a coffee mug but can keep a satellite in its orbit for 10 years, dramatically lowering mission costs for our customers.”

The Art of “De-Jargoning”

The “curse of knowledge” is the single biggest failing of space industry PR. Engineers and scientists are so immersed in their language that they forget others don’t speak it. A good PR professional must act as a translator.

Identifying “Curse of Knowledge” Jargon

Jargon is any term or acronym that a person outside the industry (or even in a different part of the industry) wouldn’t immediately understand. This includes:

• Orbits: LEO, MEO, GEO, HEO, GTO, SSO. (Use “low Earth orbit,” “a high orbit,” or “an orbit 22,000 miles high where the satellite matches the Earth’s rotation.”)
• Acronyms: RCS (Reaction Control System), TVC (Thrust Vector Control), DSN (Deep Space Network). Always spell them out on first use, but preferably, just describe what they do.
• Metrics: kN (kilonewtons), Isp (specific impulse), delta-v. (Use “pounds of thrust,” “fuel efficiency,” and “the ‘gas mileage’ or change in velocity a spacecraft can achieve.”)

The “Explain It to a Friend” Method

A simple test is to imagine explaining the news to a friend at a bar. You wouldn’t say, “We had a nominal MECO.” You’d say, “The main engine shut down right on time, exactly as planned.” That human-friendly language is what should be in the press release.

Creating a Jargon “Cheat Sheet”

Companies should maintain an internal “cheat sheet” for de-jargoning common terms. This ensures consistency and trains the entire team to think from an external perspective.

Managing News: The Good, The Bad, and The Delayed

Not all space news is good. A rocket launch can be delayed by weather (a “scrub”), or it can fail. This is where a PR team earns its keep.

The Hype Problem: Managing Expectations

The industry is full of ambitious timelines. It’s tempting to issue a press release that “we will land on Mars by 2030.” This can generate short-term excitement but creates long-term credibility problems when that deadline inevitably slips.

Press releases should focus on achieved milestones, not aspirational goals. Instead of “We will mine the moon,” a better, more credible release is “We have successfully tested our prototype lunar drill in a Moon-like vacuum chamber.” It’s less flashy, but it’s real.

This also applies to test flights, like those in the Artemis program or SpaceX’s Starship development. Releases should clearly label them as tests, stating that the goal is to gather data, even if the vehicle is lost. This frames a potential “failure” as a “successful data-gathering event.”

Communicating Anomalies and Failures

When a launch failure or satellite anomaly occurs, the company’s response is judged by its speed and transparency. The worst thing a company can do is go silent. This allows rumor and speculation to fill the void.

The “Failure Communication” plan follows three steps:

1. The Immediate Acknowledgement (Social Media / Holding Statement):
   • When: Within minutes.
   • Channel: Often X (formerly Twitter) or a very short press release.
   • Message: “We are aware of an anomaly during today’s launch. Our team is reviewing the data. We will provide more information as it becomes available.”
   • Goal: This shows the company is in control and aware. It doesn’t speculate. It never guesses the cause.
2. The Initial Assessment Release:
   • When: Within 2-24 hours.
   • Channel: Formal press release.
   • Message: It states what is known to have happened (e.g., “The vehicle was lost 3 minutes into flight,” “We lost contact with the satellite after payload separation”). It must express regret, especially if a customer’s payload was lost. It must state that an investigation is underway, often in coordination with bodies like the FAA or NTSB.
   • Goal: To provide facts, show empathy, and outline the next steps (the investigation).
3. The “Findings and Path Forward” Release:
   • When: Weeks or months later, after the investigation.
   • Channel: Formal press release.
   • Message: This release is about transparency and rebuilding trust. It must clearly state the root cause of the failure (e.g., “a faulty valve,” “a software error”) and, most importantly, list the corrective actionsthe company is taking to prevent it from happening again.
   • Goal: To close the loop and show customers and investors that the problem is understood and fixed.

The Long Haul: Maintaining Interest in Multi-Year Missions

How do you keep the public engaged in a mission to Jupiter that takes five years just to get there? The key is to create “news pegs” from mission milestones.

Don’t wait five years. Issue press releases for:

• The successful launch (Year 0).
• The first “systems check” and first light from its cameras (Month 1).
• A major gravity-assist flyby of Earth or Venus (Year 1).
• A successful asteroid belt transit (Year 3).
• The final approach and orbit insertion (Year 5).

Each of these is a concrete, successful event that provides a new “hook” for the media to tell the story, keeping the mission in the public consciousness.

The Essential Toolkit: Beyond the Text

A press release no longer stands alone. It’s the centerpiece of a larger package. A modern space company’s press release should always be posted in an online “Newsroom” or “Media Center” on its website, and it should be accompanied by a digital press kit.

The Digital Press Kit

This is a dedicated page or folder that contains all the assets a journalist needs to build their story. It should include:

• The press release text.
• Company leadership headshots and brief biographies.
• Company logos.
• The “About Us” boilerplate.
• Fact sheets (e.g., a simple one-page PDF with the key specs of the rocket or satellite).

High-Quality Visuals: Renders, Photos, and B-Roll

Space is intensely visual. A press release about a satellite without a picture of the satellite is a missed opportunity.

• For Hardware: Include high-resolution photos of the hardware in the cleanroom, being integrated, or on the launch pad.
• For Future Missions: Since the hardware may not be built, invest in high-quality, photorealistic renders (computer-generated images) of the spacecraft in orbit, the engine firing, or the lander on the Moon.
• For Launches: The press kit must include professional photos of the launch (especially liftoff) and broadcast-quality video clips (B-Roll) of the launch, the team in mission control, and the booster landing. These should be freely available for media use.

Infographics: Making Data Understandable

For complex announcements, an infographic is often better than a paragraph.

• Announcing a launch: Include a mission profile graphic showing the rocket’s path, the altitude of payload deployment, and the booster’s landing zone.
• Announcing a satellite constellation: Show a map of the world with the orbits and the new coverage areas.
• Explaining a discovery: Use a simple chart to show the data, comparing the new finding to something known.

These visual tools do the “de-jargoning” wordlessly, making the complex accessible at a glance.

Distribution and Timing

Once the release and its toolkit are ready, they must be sent to the right people at the right time.

Choosing the Right Channels

1. Wire Service: Use a paid service like Business Wire or PR Newswire. This ensures the release is distributed broadly, hits financial terminals (important for public companies), and is officially time-stamped.
2. Targeted Media List: This is the most important part. The company should maintain its own email list of journalists who specifically cover the space industry, technology, science, and business. This list is built over time by forming relationships. A personal email to a key journalist is often more effective than a mass wire release.
3. Online Newsroom: The release must live permanently on the company’s website as a record of achievement.
4. Social Media: Post a link to the release on X, LinkedIn, and other relevant platforms, often with a key visual (a photo or video clip) to drive engagement.

Timing Your Release

Timing is everything.

• For Launches: The “success” release must go out as soonas possible. News cycles move in minutes. If SpaceX lands a booster, the news is old an hour later. The release must be pre-written, with only the final confirmation needed.
• For Business News: For funding or contract news, avoid releasing on a Friday afternoon, when journalists are logging off. Tuesday or Wednesday mornings are often best.
• For Government News: If the partner is a government agency like NASA, you must coordinate the release time. The government agency often takes precedence and will set the embargo (the time the news can be made public).
• Avoid Black Holes: Don’t release your big news when something else is dominating the news cycle (e.g., a major election, a natural disaster). It will be completely ignored.

Summary

The space industry is selling a complex, expensive, and high-stakes product. A press release is the primary tool for translating that complexity into a story of human achievement, economic value, and scientific wonder.

For a non-technical audience, success hinges on relentlessly filtering out jargon, focusing on the “so what,” and connecting every technical milestone to a tangible, human-scale benefit. Whether it’s a launch, a contract, or a new discovery, the story is never just about the hardware. It’s about what that hardware enables: connecting a school, protecting a coastline, understanding our universe, or paving the way for the next generation of explorers. By mastering this translation, a space company can capture the public’s imagination and build the lasting trust of its investors and partners.