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space economy

ISS National Lab launches Orbital Edge accelerator with up to $750,000 per startup and ISS flight access

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ISS National Laboratory has launched the 2026 Orbital Edge Accelerator, a new startup program designed to help deep-tech companies accelerate research, commercialization, and fundraising through access to the International Space Station.

The accelerator will select six startups, with each company eligible to receive up to $750,000 in venture funding alongside the opportunity to conduct ISS National Lab-sponsored in-orbit research projects.

According to the ISS National Lab, the program combines venture investment, orbital testing opportunities, mentorship, and commercialization support to help startups shorten development timelines that would otherwise take years using conventional laboratory and field testing. [Read more…] about ISS National Lab launches Orbital Edge accelerator with up to $750,000 per startup and ISS flight access

PwC predicts ‘moon economy’ will be worth around $127 billion by 2050

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As NASA revises Artemis and PwC outlines $127 billion revenue by 2050 for the ‘moon economy’, experts warn that alternative energy infrastructure, not just transportation, will determine whether lunar surface activities will survive long-term 

NASA has recently announced major changes to its Moon landing program, Artemis. While crewed missions to the lunar surface were planned for 2028, the administration decided to add a preparatory step to test commercial landers in Earth’s orbit a year earlier, in 2027.

This change is meant to reduce risks and represents a shift toward more incremental mission design following recent Artemis delays and safety concerns exposed in February. Despite that, experts claim that transportation issues are just one part of the equation.

The latest PwC Lunar Market Assessment also highlights the growing economic importance of the Moon economy, projecting total revenues of $127.3 billion by 2050, and identifies solar energy systems as one of the priority technologies. [Read more…] about PwC predicts ‘moon economy’ will be worth around $127 billion by 2050

Airbus partners with Leonardo and Thales to create European space giant

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Airbus, Leonardo, and Thales have signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at combining their respective space activities into a new company.

By joining forces, Airbus, Leonardo and Thales aim to strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy in space, a major sector that underpins critical infrastructure and services related to telecommunications, global navigation, earth observation, science, exploration and national security.

This new company also intends to serve as the trusted partner for developing and implementing national sovereign space programmes. [Read more…] about Airbus partners with Leonardo and Thales to create European space giant

Thales Alenia Space inaugurates state-of-the-art ‘Space Smart Factory’ in Rome

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Thales Alenia Space has inaugurated its new “Space Smart Factory” in Rome – one of Europe’s most advanced digital and reconfigurable satellite manufacturing facilities – in a ceremony attended by Italian President Sergio Mattarella.

A joint venture between Thales (67 percent) and Leonardo (33 percent), the company says the €100 million facility marks “a paradigm shift in the construction of space systems”, enabling the production of more than 100 satellites per year using modular cleanrooms, digital continuity, and robotic technologies.

The project received funding from the Italian Space Agency (ASI) through the PNRR recovery plan and additional investment from Thales and Leonardo. [Read more…] about Thales Alenia Space inaugurates state-of-the-art ‘Space Smart Factory’ in Rome

Global space economy hits record $613 billion in 2024, says Space Foundation

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Space Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 1983 to advance the global space community, has released The Space Report 2025 Q2, revealing the global space economy reached an unprecedented $613 billion in 2024 – reflecting strong 7.8 percent year-over-year growth.

The milestone underscores the vital role space plays in driving economic growth, ensuring national security, and enhancing public safety.

The report found the commercial sector accounted for 78 percent of the global space economy, with government budgets contributing the remaining 22 percent. [Read more…] about Global space economy hits record $613 billion in 2024, says Space Foundation

Why space factories may be the next industrial frontier, and who’s building them

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The global space economy is growing fast, expected to surpass $511 billion by 2029, according to GlobalData.

While satellite launches and communication services currently dominate that figure, a more radical idea is beginning to gain serious momentum: manufacturing in space.

Once considered a speculative fantasy, orbital manufacturing is being taken seriously by a growing number of aerospace firms, venture capitalists, and national agencies. [Read more…] about Why space factories may be the next industrial frontier, and who’s building them

Global space economy market to surpass $511 billion in 2029, forecasts GlobalData

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The global space economy market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4 percent from $421.0 billion in 2024 to $511.2 billion in 2029, according to GlobalData, a data and analytics company.

The growth will be driven by an increase in the deployment of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, productivity improvements in satellite equipment manufacturing, the competitive launch services landscape, and demand for services around data communications, navigation, and Earth observation.

GlobalData’s latest Strategic Intelligence report, “The Space Economy” reveals that space applications, which include satellite communications, navigation, and Earth observation, is the largest segment of the space economy and will grow at a CAGR of 2.9 percent to reach $334.8 billion by 2029. [Read more…] about Global space economy market to surpass $511 billion in 2029, forecasts GlobalData