Commercial Satellite Constellations Market Report 2026

The commercial satellite constellations market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $16.25 billion in 2025 to $18.15 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.7%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to early commercial demand for global communication and broadband coverage, reduced satellite manufacturing costs enabling deployment of large constellations, increased use of earth observation and remote-sensing data across industries, advancements in rf signal processing and geolocation tools improving constellation performance, emergence of microsatellites supporting cost-efficient constellation expansion.

The commercial satellite constellations market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $28.07 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.5%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to rising demand for high-speed internet access in underserved and remote regions, growth in iot and m2m applications requiring continuous low-latency connectivity, expansion of commercial earth observation services for analytics and monitoring, increasing investment in lidar and advanced sensing satellites to enhance data precision, accelerating deployment of mega-constellations driven by commercial operators' global coverage strategies. Major trends in the forecast period include rising demand for multi-orbit satellite architectures, expansion of commercial earth observation platforms, growing use of microsatellites and smallsat clusters, increasing adoption of rf geolocation and signal intelligence tools, rapid commercialization of satellite-based iot and m2m services.

The rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to drive the growth of the commercial satellite constellations market going forward. IoT describes a network of interconnected physical devices, vehicles, appliances, and other objects embedded with sensors, software, and connectivity features that allow them to collect and share data over the Internet. Satellite constellations play a crucial role in enabling universal connectivity by ensuring that IoT devices in remote or hard-to-reach areas can access the internet, particularly where traditional terrestrial networks fall short. For example, in September 2024, according to IoT Analytics GmbH, a Germany-based non-governmental organization, there were 16.6 billion connected IoT devices by the end of 2023, marking a 15% increase from 2022. The organization projected an additional 13% increase to 18.8 billion devices by the end of 2024. Furthermore, the number of connected IoT devices is expected to reach 40 billion by 2030, a significant jump from the previous market update in 2023. Therefore, the expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT) is fueling the growth of the commercial satellite constellations market.

Major companies operating in the commercial satellite constellations market are focusing on developing innovative solutions such as smart water conservancy and digital city technologies to improve urban management, environmental monitoring, and resource optimization through real-time satellite data. Smart water conservancy and digital city solutions involve the use of satellite-based data and analytics to efficiently manage water resources and support intelligent urban planning, infrastructure monitoring, and sustainable city development. For instance, in April 2024, China Siwei Surveying and Mapping Technology Co. Ltd., a China-based satellite imaging company, successfully launched the SuperView Neo 3-01 satellite to advance high-resolution Earth observation and commercial imaging capabilities. The SuperView Neo 3-01 satellite is equipped with next-generation high-resolution optical imaging technology, enabling clearer and more detailed Earth observation data for uses such as urban planning, environmental monitoring, and disaster assessment. This launch represents a significant milestone in China Siwei’s efforts to expand its SuperView Neo constellation and strengthen its global imaging capabilities.

In May 2023, Viasat Inc., a US-based communications company, acquired Inmarsat for an undisclosed amount. The merged entity anticipates strengthening its market position by leveraging increased scale, expanded scope, and heightened innovation within the global satellite connectivity sector. This strategic move aims to meet rising customer demands for enhanced speed, flexibility, reliability, coverage, and security. Inmarsat is a UK-based satellite telecommunications company that offers maritime communications services and provides commercial satellite constellations.

Major companies operating in the commercial satellite constellations market are Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Honeywell International Inc, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), Thales Alenia Space, Space Exploration Technologies Corp, Viasat Inc., Cobham plc, L3Harris Technologies Inc, Airbus Defence and Space SAS, OHB System AG, Iridium Communications Inc, Telesat Canada, Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat), Skyloom Global Corp, Globalstar Inc., Planet Labs PBC, Spire Global Inc., Capella Space, Kepler Communications Inc., LeoLabs Inc., OneWeb Global Limited, LeoStella LLC, SatSure Ltd., Nuview, Lynk Global Inc.

North America was the largest region in the commercial satellite constellations market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the commercial satellite constellations market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report’s Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

Tariffs have impacted the commercial-satellite constellations market by increasing costs of satellite components, RF systems, and launch-related hardware imported across major manufacturing hubs. Higher duties have particularly affected LEO and MEO constellation deployments in regions dependent on cross-border component sourcing, including Asia-Pacific and Europe. While tariffs have slowed production timelines and raised service deployment costs, they have also encouraged domestic manufacturing, localization of satellite assembly, and regional supply chain strengthening, creating new investment opportunities within the global satellite ecosystem.

The main types of commercial satellite constellations are low-earth orbit (LEO) constellations, medium-earth orbit (MEO) constellations, and geostationary-earth orbit (GEO) satellites. Low-earth orbit (LEO) constellations consist of numerous small satellites orbiting closer to Earth, facilitating faster communication and reduced latency. Various types of frequencies are included, such as Ka-Band, Ku-Band, and C-Band, which can be used for several applications, such as telecommunications and connectivity, earth observation and remote sensing, and navigation and positioning services.

Commercial-satellite constellations refer to a group of satellites working together to provide a service or a group of satellites with a common purpose, primarily owned, financed, and managed by commercial entities to provide a commercial service. Commercial-satellite constellations offer improved coverage, ensuring seamless communication even in remote areas.

The main types of commercial satellite constellations are low-earth orbit (LEO) constellations, medium-earth orbit (MEO) constellations, and geostationary-earth orbit (GEO) satellites. Low-earth orbit (LEO) constellations consist of numerous small satellites orbiting closer to Earth, facilitating faster communication and reduced latency. Various types of frequencies are included, such as Ka-Band, Ku-Band, and C-Band, which can be used for several applications, such as telecommunications and connectivity, earth observation and remote sensing, and navigation and positioning services.

The countries covered in the commercial satellite constellations market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The commercial-satellite constellations market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing services such as communication, remote sensing, Internet access, IoT (Internet of Things), and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The commercial-satellite constellations market also includes sales of RF (Radio Frequency) signal processing and geolocation tools, earth observation satellites, LiDAR satellites, and microsatellites. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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