Space economy seen hitting $645.4 billion by 2030

The global space economy is projected to reach $645.42 billion by 2030, according to The Business Research Company, as satellite launches, defense spending and private-sector commercialization accelerate. North America is expected to lead the market, while satellite services and launch infrastructure drive the biggest gains.

Why it matters: - The space economy is moving from niche to core infrastructure for communications, Earth observation, defense and data services. - The market’s growth reflects rising demand for satellite connectivity, reusable launch systems and space-based analytics. - The report says the segment will become a larger part of the broader aerospace and defense industry by 2030.

What happened: - The Business Research Company said the global space economy market is projected to reach $645.42 billion by 2030. - The report forecasts an 8% compound annual growth rate through 2030. - The forecast is based on growth in commercial satellite launches, government and defense spending, and private-sector commercialization. - The report covers the market through 2035 and includes updated forecasts, market attractiveness scoring, TAM analysis, company scoring graphics, dashboards and trend analysis. - A free sample and the full report are available through the company’s announcement: Free sample and full report.

The details: - Orbital manufacturing and reentry testing are emerging as important technical drivers. - Varda Space Industries deployed its W-2 orbital processing and reentry capsule on SpaceX’s Transporter-12 mission in January 2025. - The payload included experiments from the Air Force Research Laboratory. - The report says the work supports precise reentry data collection, pharmaceutical processing in orbit and thermal protection system testing. - Commercial satellite deployment is one of the biggest growth engines. - The report estimates that factor alone adds 1.0% annual growth to the market. - Government and defense spending is estimated to add 0.8% yearly growth. - Private-sector involvement and commercialization are forecast to add about 0.5% annual growth. - By 2030, the space economy is expected to make up nearly 55% of the broader Aerospace & Defense market, which the report projects at $1,166 billion. - Satellite industry is the largest segment and is projected to account for 39% of the market, or $253 billion, in 2030. - The report says future gains will come from high-throughput connectivity, next-generation constellations, satellite-derived data and analytics, and use cases in agriculture, transportation and energy. - The market is divided by sector into upstream, downstream and non-satellite segments. - The market is divided by price range into low, medium and premium categories. - The market is divided by distribution channel into direct contracts, online platforms and services, partnerships and collaborations, and other channels. - The market is divided by end users including government agencies, private corporations, research institutions, educational bodies and other users.

Between the lines: - The report points to a market that is growing, but still fragmented. - The top 10 companies accounted for about 15% of revenue in 2025. - High barriers to entry remain in place because of mission complexity, safety rules, capital needs and engineering demands. - The competitive race is shifting toward cost efficiency, rapid deployment and data-rich space services rather than launch alone. - The report also implies that AI, autonomous operations and in-orbit servicing are becoming strategic differentiators.

What's next: - North America is expected to remain the largest regional market in 2030 at $236 billion, up from $155 billion in 2025. - The United States is projected to be the largest country market at $208 billion in 2030, up from $135 billion in 2025. - SpaceX ranked first in global sales in 2025 with a 4% market share. - The company’s launch and space transportation division includes reusable launch vehicles, satellite deployment, orbital transportation and Starlink-based communication infrastructure. - The biggest growth opportunities through 2030 are expected in satellite industry, satellite launch, satellite services, satellite manufacturing and satellite ground equipment. - Those segments are projected to add more than $215 billion in value combined. - The report says the satellite industry will grow by $73 billion, satellite launch by $60 billion, satellite services by $49 billion, satellite manufacturing by $22 billion and satellite ground equipment by $11 billion between 2025 and 2030. - Future growth drivers include in-orbit servicing and refueling, space-based edge computing, space traffic management, debris mitigation, hyperspectral imaging, private mega-constellations and rapid-turnaround launch infrastructure.

The bottom line: - The space economy is becoming a larger, more commercially driven market, with satellites, launch services and defense demand doing most of the heavy lifting.