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The Space Economy at a Glance 2026The Space Economy at a Glance 2026This work is issued under the responsibility of the Secretary‑General of the OECD, and does not necessarily reflect the official views of OECD Member countries. This document, as well as any data and map included herein, are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area. The statistical data for Israel are supplied by and under the responsibility of the relevant Israeli authorities. The use of such data by the OECD is without prejudice to the status of the Golan Heights, East Jerusalem and Israeli settlements in the West Bank under the terms of international law. Note by the Republic of Türkiye The information in this document with reference to “Cyprus” relates to the southern part of the Island. There is no single authority representing both Turkish and Greek Cypriot people on the Island. Türkiye recognises the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Until a lasting and equitable solution is found within the context of the United Nations, Türkiye shall preserve its position concerning the “Cyprus issue”. Note by all the European Union Member States of the OECD and the European Union The Republic of Cyprus is recognised by all members of the United Nations with the exception of Türkiye. The information in this document relates to the area under the effective control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus.

Please cite this publication as: OECD (2026), The Space Economy at a Glance 2026, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/cbf9b240-en.

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Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) This work is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. By using this work, you accept to be bound by the terms of this licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Attribution – you must cite the work. Translations – you must cite the original work, identify changes to the original and add the following text: In the event of any discrepancy between the original work and the translation, only the text of the original work should be considered valid. Adaptations – you must cite the original work and add the following text: This is an adaptation of an original work by the OECD. The opinions expressed and arguments employed in this adaptation should not be reported as representing the official views of the OECD or of its Member countries. Third-party material – the licence does not apply to third-party material in the work. If using such material, you are responsible for obtaining permission from the third party and for any claims of infringement. You must not use the OECD logo, visual identity or cover image without express permission or suggest the OECD endorses your use of the work. Any dispute arising under this licence shall be settled by arbitration in accordance with the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) Arbitration Rules 2012. The seat of arbitration shall be Paris (France). The number of arbitrators shall be one. 3

THE SPACE ECONOMY AT A GLANCE 2026 © OECD 2026

Foreword Space activities and applications are increasingly relevant to the economic and policy priorities globally. They support critical infrastructures, enable new sources of data and services, and contribute to innovation, resilience and international co-operation. As the space economy evolves, governments need robust evidence to understand changing capabilities, market dynamics and policy challenges, and to ensure that space activities deliver broad-based benefits while remaining safe, secure and sustainable. This publication contributes to the OECD’s programme of work on science, technology and innovation,

resilience and international co-operation. As the space economy evolves, governments need robust evidence to understand changing capabilities, market dynamics and policy challenges, and to ensure that space activities deliver broad-based benefits while remaining safe, secure and sustainable. This publication contributes to the OECD’s programme of work on science, technology and innovation, carried out under the Committee for Scientific and Technological Policy (CSTP). It draws on the longstanding activities of the OECD Space Forum, which brings together governments and space agencies to improve the international evidence base on the space economy and to support policy dialogue on emerging issues. Building on earlier OECD work on the measurement, impacts and governance of space activities, The Space Economy at a Glance provides a concise and comparative overview of recent developments across countries and value chains. The purpose of this report is to help policy makers assess the factors shaping competitiveness in the space economy, including investment, industrial capabilities, research and innovation partnerships, entrepreneurship, supply chains and access to finance. It also points to areas where new capabilities may emerge, and to the policy questions raised by the expanding scale and diversity of space activities, including orbital congestion, space traffic management, debris and environmental externalities. By bringing together indicators, analysis and policy insights, this report aims to support stakeholders in the space sector, and in particular governments, in designing policies and actions that strengthen innovative, resilient and responsible space ecosystems. It also contributes to the OECD’s broader objective of supporting countries in harnessing science, technology and innovation for economic growth and prosperity for all.4 

THE SPACE ECONOMY AT A GLANCE 2026 © OECD 2026

Acknowledgements This publication was prepared under the guidance of Claire Jolly, by a team composed of Marit Undseth, James Joliffe, and Barrie Stevens, consultant, in the OECD Space Forum within the Science and Technology Policy Division of the Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation. The report benefitted from the contributions and advice of many OECD colleagues and external experts, including through expert workshops where selected findings and analysis were presented and discussed.

James Joliffe, and Barrie Stevens, consultant, in the OECD Space Forum within the Science and Technology Policy Division of the Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation. The report benefitted from the contributions and advice of many OECD colleagues and external experts, including through expert workshops where selected findings and analysis were presented and discussed. Within the OECD Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation, Hélène Dernis provided patent analysis; Brigitte van Beuzekom provided guidance on bibliometrics; Fabien Verger provided support on GBARD data; Antoine Kryus and David Howoldt provided inputs from the STIP Compass; Alexia Gonzalez Fanfalone provided inputs on connectivity; and Claudia Abdallah developed official development assistance and bibliometrics indicators. Yuki Murota, intern, provided valuable technology mapping. The authors also thank Louis Maréchal in the Centre for Responsible Business Conduct, for advice on critical minerals; Xavier Bryant in the Development Co-operation Directorate, for guidance on official development assistance; and George Vardulakis and Brent Wilhelm from the Nuclear Energy Agency for their contributions on nuclear space activities. The Secretariat gratefully acknowledges the contributions of external experts and partner organisations, including Emma Stevenson, Francesca Letizia and Stijn Lemmens from the European Space Agency for space environment data; Johannes Schaaf, Geert Boedt and Alessio Milo Cesaro from the European Patent Office for space-related patent data; and Alexandre Vallet and Phillippa Biggs from the International Telecommunication Union. The contributions of participants from space agencies, academia and the private sector at recent OECD events are also gratefully acknowledged, including those provided during the OECD Space Forum Workshop: Shaping Future Innovation in the Space Economy, held on 9 December 2025. The Secretariat also wishes to express its sincere appreciation and thanks to the Steering Group of the OECD Space Forum for its longstanding support and substantive inputs: the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Canada; the National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) and the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Space, France; the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), Germany; the Italian Space Agency

OECD Space Forum for its longstanding support and substantive inputs: the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Canada; the National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) and the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Space, France; the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), Germany; the Italian Space Agency (ASI), Italy; the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), Korea; the Netherlands Space Office (NSO), Netherlands; the Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA) and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, Norway; the Swiss Space Office, Switzerland; the UK Space Agency (UKSA), United Kingdom; the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the United States; and the European Space Agency (ESA). The authors thank Sylvain Fraccola and Sebastian Ordelheide for communications and publication support. They are also grateful to Alistair Nolan, David Winickoff; Alice Holt, Alessandra Colecchia, Head of Division, Kevin Magron, Deputy Director and Jerry Sheehan, Director, all from the OECD Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation, for their comments and careful review. 5

THE SPACE ECONOMY AT A GLANCE 2026 © OECD 2026

Editorial Space has entered a new phase of economic and strategic importance. Long associated with scientific ambition, national prestige and security, it now underpins an expanding range of services, infrastructures and capabilities that are increasingly embedded in the functioning of modern economies and societies. As public and private investments grow, and as more countries seek to build or strengthen their presence in the sector, space is becoming more firmly established as both an area of economic opportunity and a domain of public policy relevance. This evolution brings with it a new set of policy considerations. Reliable access to orbit, the development and operation of strategic capabilities, and the ability to maintain secure, resilient and sustainable spacebased systems are no longer concerns confined to specialised communities. They are becoming more closely connected to broader questions of industrial competitiveness, technological capacity, infrastructure resilience and long-term economic performance. At the same time, the growing scale and diversity of space

based systems are no longer concerns confined to specialised communities. They are becoming more closely connected to broader questions of industrial competitiveness, technological capacity, infrastructure resilience and long-term economic performance. At the same time, the growing scale and diversity of space activities raise important challenges, including governance related to orbital environments and the need for effective international co-operation. These developments are closely relevant to OECD’s wider work on science, technology and innovation. Across its analysis of productivity, industrial transformation, critical technologies and resilience, the OECD has consistently highlighted the importance of understanding how technological domains reshape economic structures and policy priorities. In the case of space, this requires stronger evidence, improved measurement and a clearer understanding of how space-related investments, capabilities and applications diffuse across economies and societies. The Space Economy at a Glance contributes to this effort. Drawing on the OECD’s long-standing analytical and statistical work in the field, it provides a concise overview of key trends, actors and policy issues shaping the space economy today. In doing so, it aims to support governments and stakeholders in assessing the role of space in innovation, growth, resilience and international co-operation, and in situating the space economy within wider economic policy objectives. The report draws on the longstanding activities of the OECD Space Forum, which brings together governments and space agencies to improve the international evidence base on the space economy, as well as the collective work on science, technology and innovation policy carried out under the Committee for Scientific and Technological Policy

(CSTP).

Jerry Sheehan Director, OECD Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation6 

THE SPACE ECONOMY AT A GLANCE 2026 © OECD 2026

Table of contents Foreword 3 Acknowledgements 4 Editorial 5 Reader’s guide 9 Acronyms and abbreviations 12 Executive summary 14 1 Strategic capabilities and competitiveness in the space economy 16

The case for space: strategic capabilities, economic benefits and the need for strong policy engagement

17 Public space investment has expanded, but funding intensity varies widely across countries 20

Acronyms and abbreviations 12 Executive summary 14 1 Strategic capabilities and competitiveness in the space economy 16

The case for space: strategic capabilities, economic benefits and the need for strong policy engagement

17 Public space investment has expanded, but funding intensity varies widely across countries 20 Civil space R&D remains significant, but growth has slowed 24 Space-related official development assistance spreads the benefits of government investment more widely 27 Private finance and firm-level R&D are reshaping investment conditions 28 Governments are using a wider set of policy tools to support space entrepreneurship and commercialisation. 31 Legal and regulatory frameworks are becoming more supportive of commercial space activities 34 Conclusion 35 References 36 Notes 38 2 Shifting market dynamics in the space economy: Concentration, diversification and value creation 39 A transformation of orbital occupancy and ownership in the last ten years 40 Participation in space activities has broadened, but launch capability remains concentrated 41 Private operators now dominate activity in orbit 43 Telecommunications and LEO constellations are reshaping orbital demand 44 Commercial earth observation services have grown in scale and sophistication 48 GNSS-enabled digital services are growing fast 51 Profitability remains uneven across space economy segments 51 Conclusion 53 References 54 Notes 56 7

THE SPACE ECONOMY AT A GLANCE 2026 © OECD 2026

3 Innovation capabilities and emerging technologies in the space economy 57 Space-related scientific publication activities are growing 58 Scientific production is becoming more multipolar, with emerging economies accounting for much of recent growth 59 The OECD area continues to lead in scientific excellence 60 International collaboration in space research is expanding and deepening 62 Scientific publications point to emerging space innovation fields 65 Space-related patenting points to new technological development 67 AI-enabled data processing is becoming a key space innovation frontier 71 Emerging technologies shaping future space exploration

60 International collaboration in space research is expanding and deepening 62 Scientific publications point to emerging space innovation fields 65 Space-related patenting points to new technological development 67 AI-enabled data processing is becoming a key space innovation frontier 71 Emerging technologies shaping future space exploration 73 Nuclear power in space could enable future exploration missions 74 Conclusion 75 References 76 Notes 77 4 Managing vulnerabilities, dependencies and sustainability risks of the space economy 78 Growing dependence on space systems creates new vulnerabilities 79 Orbital congestion is intensifying in attractive low-earth orbits 79 The space debris population is becoming self-generating 81 Market concentration can create strategic dependencies 82 Space manufacturing is increasingly exposed to critical supply-chain risks 82 Space infrastructure, signals and data are increasingly subject to malicious attacks 85 Conclusion and policy implications 86 References 87 Notes 88 5 The Space Economy at a Glance: Country Profiles 89 Canada 90 France 96 Germany 101 Italy 106 Korea 111 The Netherlands 116 Norway 120 Switzerland 125 United Kingdom 130 United States 135

Tables Table 2.1. Examples of GNSS-enabled applications 51 Table 3.1. Critical technologies needed for space exploration 73 Table 4.1. The number of space launch providers is growing 82

Figures Figure 1.1. Growing use of satellite-based services in the Danish economy 19 Figure 1.2. Selected OECD civilian space budgets, 2010 and 2025 21 Figure 1.3. Selected trends in civilian space budgets, 2010-2025 22 Figure 1.4. Size and growth of selected OECD military space budgets, 2015-2025 238 

21 Figure 1.3. Selected trends in civilian space budgets, 2010-2025 22 Figure 1.4. Size and growth of selected OECD military space budgets, 2015-2025 238 

THE SPACE ECONOMY AT A GLANCE 2026 © OECD 2026

Figure 1.5. Civil space as a percentage of total civil Government Budget Allocations for R&D, 2010 and 2024 25 Figure 1.6. Civilian space’s share of total government R&D budget allocations is decreasing, 2000-2024 26 Figure 1.7. Growth in civil space R&D has not kept up with growth in other elements of GBARD 26 Figure 1.8. Environmental protection and disaster risk reduction are key areas of space-related official development assistance 28 Figure 1.9. Access to private capital is improving, 2016-25 29 Figure 1.10. R&D investment in Canadian space-related business firms, 2017-2024 30 Figure 1.11. Firm fixed price is now NASA’s most common procurement instrument, 1996-2024 32 Figure 1.12. Governments are broadening policy instruments to support private sector innovation in the space sector, 2010-2025 33 Figure 1.13. Increasing number of countries with space regulations, 1958-2025 34 Figure 2.1. The scale of launch activity is increasing, in object numbers and mass 40 Figure 2.2. Over half of the countries in the world have successfully launched at least one satellite 41 Figure 2.3. The United States accounts for a growing share of orbital launches and active satellites 42 Figure 2.4. Private sector increasingly dominant in orbit 44 Figure 2.5. Telecommunications accounted for more than 80% of satellites launched in 2025 45 Figure 2.6. Announced future mega constellations comprise more than 2 million satellites over the next decade 45

44 Figure 2.5. Telecommunications accounted for more than 80% of satellites launched in 2025 45 Figure 2.6. Announced future mega constellations comprise more than 2 million satellites over the next decade 45 Figure 2.7. Satellite filings shift from geostationary to non-geostationary systems, as low-earth orbit constellations expand 46 Figure 2.8. Satellite takes a small but growing share of OECD fixed broadband subscriptions 47 Figure 2.9. Rapid growth in the launch of advanced sensors 48 Figure 2.10. Accessibility of earth observation data from CEOS missions 50 Figure 2.11. High capital and R&D expenses for emerging space manufacturers 52 Figure 3.1 Scientific production in space-related fields is outpacing broader related research areas, 2010-24 58 Figure 3.2. Scientific production in space-related fields has become more geographically diversified, 20092024 59 Figure 3.3. OECD countries remain at the forefront of high-impact space research 61 Figure 3.4. High citation rates often coincide with high shares of international co-authorship 62 Figure 3.5 Countries engaged in space research worked, on average, with three times as many international partners in 2024 as in 1996 63 Figure 3.6. International co-authorship in space publications varies by economy 64 Figure 3.7. Trending topics in space publications highlight the growing role of digital technologies in satellite imagery 66 Figure 3.8. Space-related patenting has increased steadily since 2000 67 Figure 3.9. Evolution of space-related patents by field, driven mainly by advances in spacecraft electrical power and space system control technologies 68 Figure 3.10. Space-related invention remains led by economies with mature space programmes 68 Figure 3.11. Space innovation remains concentrated in leading regions, 2010–13 and 2020–23 69

power and space system control technologies 68 Figure 3.10. Space-related invention remains led by economies with mature space programmes 68 Figure 3.11. Space innovation remains concentrated in leading regions, 2010–13 and 2020–23 69 Figure 3.12. Space-related patents indicate specialised innovation strengths across major economies, 202023 70 Figure 3.13. Prithvi earth observation foundation model performs nearly perfectly on certain disaster response applications 72 Figure 3.14. Vision-language models display varying strengths across geospatial tasks 72 Figure 3.15. Nuclear power systems launched into space 74 Figure 3.16. Types of nuclear power sources used in space, 1961-2025 75 Figure 4.1. Satellites are concentrated in a small number of orbits 80 Figure 4.2. Long-term simulations point to self-generating space debris dynamics 81 Figure 4.3. European space systems’ needs of strategic and critical materials 83 Figure 4.4. Leading producers of critical and strategic materials for space systems in 2025 84 Figure 4.5. European air traffic faces growing threat of jammed and spoofed GNSS signals 86

Boxes Box 1.1. Science and space exploration as sources of institutional demand 21 Box 3.1. Measuring space-related scientific output through bibliometric indicators 65 9

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Reader’s guide Rationale and use of The Space Economy at a Glance The space economy is evolving rapidly, with implications that extend beyond the space sector itself. Governments are seeking to understand how public investment, technological capabilities, commercial activity and growing reliance on space-based infrastructure shape economic performance, strategic autonomy, public-service delivery and resilience. This report responds to that need by providing a concise, comparative, and evidence-based overview of recent developments in the space economy. Its coverage

Governments are seeking to understand how public investment, technological capabilities, commercial activity and growing reliance on space-based infrastructure shape economic performance, strategic autonomy, public-service delivery and resilience. This report responds to that need by providing a concise, comparative, and evidence-based overview of recent developments in the space economy. Its coverage is selective rather than exhaustive, focusing on areas where new indicators and policy-relevant evidence are available, while pointing to areas where further measurement work will be needed. The publication is designed primarily for policy makers, space agencies, statistical offices, regulators and public institutions involved in science, technology, innovation, industrial, digital, environmental and resilience policies. It may also be useful to stakeholders in industry, research organisations and international bodies seeking a clearer view of how space activities are changing and how their benefits and risks are distributed across economies and value chains. The report brings together new OECD indicators and analysis across several dimensions of the space economy, including public space budgets, civil space R&D, policy instruments, private finance, scientific publications, patents, orbital activity, satellite-enabled services, market concentration and supply-chain dependencies. It also draws on emerging measurement approaches, including thematic accounts and indicators of satellite-service uptake, to improve understanding of how space activities contribute to national economies and public value. The report’s contribution is to connect several dimensions that are often analysed separately: public investment and market-shaping policies; scientific and technological capabilities; changing market structures and commercial dynamics; and the risks linked to growing dependence on space infrastructure. By doing so, it aims to help governments assess not only how to support a more innovative and competitive space economy, but also how to preserve open access to essential data and signals, safeguard orbital resources, manage strategic dependencies and embed resilience across the wider economy. Structure and contents of the report The Space Economy at a Glance is organised around four thematic chapters that together examine the strategic foundations of the space economy, the evolution of innovation capabilities, changing market structures and the vulnerabilities that accompany growing dependence on space systems. The report is complemented by a series of country profiles showcasing selected OECD Space Forum members and illustrating how national space economies, policy priorities and institutional arrangements differ across

strategic foundations of the space economy, the evolution of innovation capabilities, changing market structures and the vulnerabilities that accompany growing dependence on space systems. The report is complemented by a series of country profiles showcasing selected OECD Space Forum members and illustrating how national space economies, policy priorities and institutional arrangements differ across countries.10 

THE SPACE ECONOMY AT A GLANCE 2026 © OECD 2026

Statistical coverage The indicators presented in The Space Economy at a Glance cover different aspects of the space economy, which the OECD Handbook on Measuring the Space Economy defines in the following way: The space economy is the full range of activities and the use of resources that create and provide value and benefits to human beings in the course of exploring, understanding, managing and utilising space. Hence, it includes all public and private actors involved in developing, providing and using space-related products and services, ranging from research and development, the manufacture and use of space infrastructure (ground stations, launch vehicles and satellites) to space-enabled applications (navigation equipment, satellite phones, meteorological services, etc.) and the scientific knowledge generated by such activities. It follows that the space economy goes well beyond the space sector itself, since it also comprises the increasingly pervasive and continually changing impacts (both quantitative and qualitative) of space-derived products, services and knowledge on economy and society. This provides the starting point for adapted definitions in the fields mentioned below, which may be further refined depending on data availability. Capturing and delimiting statistics associated with the exploitation of space data and signals remains a recurring challenge. Government space budgets Government space budgets cover activities whose primary objective is civilian or dual-use (i.e. not exclusively military). For example, the US Global Positioning System is considered dual use because it is available both for defence and civilian uses. Military space programmes play an important role in the space economy and are mentioned several times in this report, but because they are only rarely identifiable in government budgets, they have been excluded from international indicators to facilitate international comparability. The number of activities funded by government space budgets varies greatly across countries and can

economy and are mentioned several times in this report, but because they are only rarely identifiable in government budgets, they have been excluded from international indicators to facilitate international comparability. The number of activities funded by government space budgets varies greatly across countries and can include all or some of the following: • the manufacture and operation of space infrastructure • the use of satellite data, signals and related equipment (navigation equipment, satellite phones, communication services, geospatial intelligence, etc.) • associated research and development, both basic and applied • exploitation of scientific knowledge generated by the above activities • contributions to international space-related programmes. The indicator uses revised budget estimates for 2025 and budget expenditure for previous years. It only includes resources met from national/federal government sources, excluding local/regional government budgets and the private sector. In cases where fiscal years do not correspond to calendar years, fiscal years starting in the period 1 January-30 June are converted to the first calendar year in the budget period, e.g. 2025 for fiscal year 2025/26, while those starting 1 July-31 December are attributed to the second year, e.g. 2026 for fiscal year 2025/26. Space-related patents The space-related patent analysis is based on updated data from previous patent studies jointly developed and conducted by the European Patent Office, the European Space Agency and the European Space Policy Institute. The following technology categories are included, identified thanks to a combination of International Patent Classification codes and keywords: propulsion, spacecraft electrical power, space system control, life support, space debris and quantum in sp