Airbus, Intuitive Machines and Weather Company Tomorrow.io Get in TIME’s List of 100 Most Influential Companies

TIME has just revealed its fourth annual 100 Most Influential Companies list, featuring an impressive lineup of innovators across different industries. This year, Airbus, Intuitive Machines, weather forecasting powerhouse Tomorrow.io and T-Mobile have made the cut as pioneers in implementing space technology and revolutionising the space industry.

Space technology is gaining greater influence not just because of the surge in private companies manufacturing rockets for space missions. It also encompasses innovative approaches to utilising satellites for enhancing various aspects of life, communication, business processes, weather monitoring, and beyond.

Now, let’s see how each of these companies has impacted the space industry to earn their spots in the top 100.

Who’s on the list of TIME’s Top 100 Influential Companies?

According to TIME, only four aerospace-related, satellite and communication companies are featured in this year’s list of the world’s most influential companies.

American Intuitive Machines is the only space company in TIME’s ranking this time. It was honoured thanks to its successful Odysseus mission, which made Intuitive Machines the first commercial company to soft-land a spacecraft on the Moon. The Odysseus mission also made history as the first US landing on the moon since the 1970s.

TIME also included Tomorrow.io – an American weather technology company that aims to “reinvent weather forecasts” not just for people trying to make plans for the weekend but for business purposes. Tomorrow.io became the first private company to deploy commercially built weather radar satellites, a technology traditionally dominated by government space organizations, including NASA, the Japanese space agency JAXA and the European Space Agency. And it worked brilliantly. JetBlue uses Tomorrow.io at its 10 busiest airports to avoid costly delays and cancellations. Other clients include Uber, Fox Sports, Ford, Denny’s, the Bahamas, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the City of Hoboken, New Jersey.

The list also features T-Mobile US for its collaboration with Elon Musk’s SpaceX. In January, Starlink satellites with “direct to cell” (DTC) capabilities transmitted text messages through T-Mobile’s network for the first time. The technology aims to provide better coverage in rural areas. Earlier, T-Mobile announced that satellite text messaging opportunities would be available for customers later this year.

Finally, Airbus – the biggest European aerospace manufacturer, which has a strong defence and space division, is also in the list. However, this time, the company was recognised for its post-pandemic resilience in the aviation industry. In contrast to the various scandals at Boeing, Airbus is leading the industry and broke the record for the single-largest aircraft order ever.

Meanwhile, the company is striving for innovations with its ambitious goal of bringing the world’s first hydrogen-powered commercial plane to market by 2035.

In 2023, SpaceX, Lockheed Martin, Terran Orbital, and Kayrros entered TIME’s list.