Microgravity Research Market Report 2026

The microgravity research market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $3.64 billion in 2025 to $4.01 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.2%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to increasing government and space-agency funding for orbital microgravity experiments, growth in international space station utilization for scientific research, advancements in payload integration technologies enabling more complex experiments, rising demand for microgravity insights in pharmaceuticals and material sciences, expansion of ground-based microgravity simulation capabilities supporting pre-flight testing.

The microgravity research market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $5.83 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.8%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to growing commercialization of space-based research platforms enabling broader access, rising demand for microgravity data to support space manufacturing and biopharmaceutical innovation, increasing availability of private spaceflight services offering experiment deployment opportunities, development of next-generation microgravity instrumentation with higher precision, expanding partnerships between research institutions and space companies to scale microgravity experimentation. Major trends in the forecast period include commercialization of microgravity research services and platforms, expansion of private space stations and suborbital research opportunities, standardization and modularization of microgravity payloads and interfaces, growth of international collaborations and public-private research consortia, increasing use of microgravity test campaigns for pre-spaceflight technology validation.

The rising investment in space exploration is expected to drive the growth of the microgravity research market in the upcoming years. Space exploration involves the scientific study and discovery of outer space through advanced technologies to examine celestial bodies and cosmic phenomena beyond Earth. The increase in investment stems from expanding commercial opportunities, as private companies view space-based technologies and services as profitable ventures with promising long-term returns. This growing investment enhances demand for microgravity research by providing greater access to orbital and suborbital platforms, which facilitate more frequent and varied scientific experiments in low-gravity environments, advancing knowledge across multiple fields. For example, in March 2025, the House of Commons Library reported that between 2022 and 2024, the UK government awarded contracts totaling $1.13 billion (£844 million) through the European Space Agency (ESA). Consequently, this surge in space exploration investment is expected to stimulate growth in the microgravity research market.

Key players in the microgravity research market are concentrating on developing sophisticated technology solutions, including end-to-end commercial microgravity services, to secure a competitive advantage. These fully integrated services encompass every phase of a microgravity research project, from planning and hardware development to mission execution and post-experiment analysis. In October 2023, German space technology firms Rocket Factory Augsburg, Yuri, and ATMOS Space Cargo launched Eva, an end-to-end commercial microgravity service. Eva aims to provide transformative insights in biotechnology and product innovation by combining the expertise of three specialized companies into a comprehensive solution. This approach allows clients to focus on their core business activities while benefiting from streamlined research support. Covering the entire value chain within Germany highlights the maturity and strength of the country's NewSpace sector.

In May 2025, Helogen Corporation, a US-based space biology and infrastructure firm, acquired Vellon Space for an undisclosed sum. This acquisition will enable Helogen to expand its presence in India’s rapidly growing space and biotechnology markets. The company will gain from Vellon Space’s deep local expertise and strong relationships with key institutions such as ISRO and the Indian Institutes of Technology. Vellon Space, an Indian space technology company, specializes in microgravity research and development.

Major companies operating in the microgravity research market are Airbus SE, Northrop Grumman Corporation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Thales Group, SpaceX Corp., Blue Origin LLC, ESA, Sierra Space Corp., JAXA, Axiom Space Inc., Rocket Lab Ltd., Roscosmos, Made In Space Inc., NanoRacks LLC, Space Tango Inc., Virgin Galactic, CNSA, ISS National Lab, SpacePharma, Space Life Sciences Lab.

North America was the largest region in the microgravity research market in 2025. The regions covered in the microgravity research 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 on aerospace components, scientific instruments, and advanced materials are increasing hardware and launch-related costs for the microgravity research market, particularly for platforms such as the International Space Station, suborbital rockets, CubeSat-based experiments, and high-value ground-based simulation systems. These measures most strongly affect supply chains spanning North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific manufacturing hubs, with ISS payload developers, commercial space companies, and equipment providers for parabolic flights and drop towers facing higher import duties and longer lead times. While this can dampen activity in price-sensitive segments and emerging regions, tariffs are also prompting localization of production, regional integration of payload integration and simulation services, and long-term investments in domestic microgravity research infrastructure that could strengthen local ecosystems.

The microgravity research market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides microgravity research market statistics, including microgravity research industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a microgravity research market share, detailed microgravity research market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the microgravity research industry. This microgravity research market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

Microgravity research involves investigating physical, chemical, and biological processes that occur in environments where gravity is much weaker than on Earth. Under these reduced-gravity conditions, various phenomena such as fluid flow, burning processes, material properties, and biological growth can change, providing new perspectives on basic natural laws.

The primary platforms for microgravity research include the International Space Station, parabolic flights, drop towers, and ground-based facilities. The International Space Station is a large spacecraft orbiting Earth where scientists carry out experiments in a stable microgravity environment. It serves multiple fields such as space exploration, material science, biotechnology, combustion science, and fluid dynamics, and is used by government agencies, commercial space companies, research institutions, and others.

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

The microgravity research market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing services such as microgravity experiment design, payload integration, flight operations support, and ground-based simulation services. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The microgravity research market also includes sales of fluid handling systems, thermal control units, telemetry systems, and microgravity simulation devices. 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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