How Big Is the Space Economy? 2025 Numbers and Sources

The global space economy was worth about $686 billion in 2025, according to the Space Foundation's State of the Global Space Economy report published in July 2026. That is up 12% from 2024 (when the same publisher counted $613 billion). Roughly four-fifths of it is commercial revenue; government budgets are the rest. Other publishers use different boundaries and report different totals, so always compare a number with others from the same source.

Martian Alpha (martianalpha.com) is a research terminal for the space economy: space stocks, launches, contracts, filings and private space companies in one place, free to start. We make it, so read the tool mentions with that in mind. This page is education, not financial advice.

The headline numbers (2025)#

The Space Foundation's five-year compound annual growth rate now approaches 10%, according to its CEO as quoted by Payload. Commercial revenue is the larger part: the Space Foundation put it at about $544 billion in 2025, or 79% of the total, up 13% from about $481 billion in 2024.

What is inside the number#

The total is mostly not rockets. Two sectors, positioning, navigation and timing services plus ground stations and equipment, generated a combined $419.8 billion of 2025 commercial revenue, the largest share. Launch itself was only about $4 billion of the $613 billion total the year before, which is why launch companies look small next to the headline even though every other part of the economy depends on them.

Faster-growing categories were smaller: in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing grew 23%, and lunar activities, counted for the first time this year, grew 43%.

Why different sources give different totals#

• Boundaries differ. Some count satellite manufacturing, ground equipment and consumer GPS devices; others count only revenue earned by space companies. Novaspace, the Space Foundation, the Satellite Industry Association and McKinsey with the World Economic Forum each publish their own total.
• Currency and year. Figures are nominal US dollars for a calendar year, published months later and sometimes revised.
• Government spending is measured by budget, not outlay. Counts depend on how many national budgets are included (53 in the 2025 figure).

If a page quotes "$630 billion" or "$1.8 trillion", check the publisher and year. The $1.8 trillion figure is McKinsey and the World Economic Forum's projection for 2035, not a forecast for next year.

Launch activity behind the economy#

The Space Foundation's 2024 report counted 259 launches worldwide, and a liftoff to orbit about every 28 hours in the first half of 2025. For 2025 as a whole, tallies of orbital launch attempts differ by whether Starship test flights are included, so cite the counting rule with the number. To check how launch records feed specific stocks, see launch success rates by rocket and launch cost trends.

Where the listed companies fit#

Only a slice of this money is investable through public markets: launch providers, satellite operators and direct-to-device companies, defense primes with space divisions, and suppliers. SpaceX has been public since its June 12, 2026 IPO (Nasdaq: SPCX). For the full list, read every publicly traded space company, and for the ways to get exposure, how to invest in the space economy. Government demand is tracked in the Space Force FY2027 budget request and NASA's FY2027 request.

Where Martian Alpha fits#

The market-size numbers above come from reports. Martian Alpha ties them to individual companies: the launch calendar lists upcoming launches with the listed company behind each, contract awards shows federal awards by company, private companies lists Form D raises, and the State of Space report summarises the sector. These pages are open to visitors; a free account adds watchlists and alerts. Create one here.

FAQ#

How big is the space economy in 2026?#

The latest full-year figure is 2025: about $686 billion per the Space Foundation. A 2026 total will not be published until mid-2027.

How much of the space economy is commercial?#

About 79% in 2025 by the Space Foundation's count (roughly $544 billion), with government budgets of nearly $141 billion making up most of the rest.

When will the space economy reach $1 trillion?#

Projections vary by publisher and method. The Space Foundation said in 2025 that $1 trillion could come as soon as 2032; McKinsey and the World Economic Forum projected $1.8 trillion by 2035 on a different definition.

Which countries spend the most on space?#

The United States, at 57% of government space spending in 2025 according to the Space Foundation's report as summarised by Payload.

Can I invest in the whole space economy?#

Not directly. Listed companies and ETFs cover part of it; see space ETFs vs space stocks.

Sources#

• Space Foundation, "The State of the Global Space Economy", July 2026: https://www.spacefoundation.org/events/global-space-economy/
• Payload, "Breaking Down the $686B Space Economy": https://payloadspace.com/breaking-down-the-686b-space-economy/
• Exterra JSC, "Global Space Economy Grows 12% to $686 Billion in 2025": https://www.exterrajsc.com/p/global-space-economy-grows-12-to
• Novaspace Space Economy Report via SpaceNews: https://spacenews.com/global-space-economy-reaches-626-billion-marking-a-new-phase-of-growth/
• OECD, The Space Economy at a Glance 2026: https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/the-space-economy-at-a-glance-2026_cbf9b240-en.html
• Space Foundation, The Space Report 2025 Q2 (July 22, 2025): https://www.spacefoundation.org/2025/07/22/the-space-report-2025-q2/

Figures checked October 31, 2026. Not financial advice.