Space Station Resupply Market Report 2025

The space station resupply market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $3.37 billion in 2024 to $3.69 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.7%. Growth during the historic period can be attributed to the rising number of ISS crew rotation missions, increased frequency of ISS utilization, expanding government-funded space programs, growing reliance on single-use cargo spacecraft, and the development of space tourism.

The space station resupply market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $5.31 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.5%. Growth in the forecast period can be attributed to the increase in commercial resupply missions, expansion of private space stations, growing demand for in-orbit manufacturing and research, rising need for cost-efficient deliveries, and the rise of long-duration crewed missions. Key trends expected during the forecast period include advancements in autonomous docking technology, AI-driven cargo management, enhanced propulsion systems, onboard 3D printing capabilities, and robotic unloading and maintenance solutions.

The increase in space exploration activities is expected to drive growth in the space station resupply market. Space exploration involves investigating and studying outer space through astronomy, robotic spacecraft, and human spaceflight to expand knowledge about the universe. This activity is rising mainly due to technological advancements that make space missions more feasible and cost-effective. Space station resupply plays a critical role in space exploration by providing astronauts with the essential supplies and equipment needed for long-duration missions and scientific research in orbit. For example, in November 2023, the United States International Trade Commission (USITC), a US federal agency, reported that US space launch activity increased significantly by 152% from 31 launches to 78 launches over the past four years. Therefore, the growth in space exploration is fueling the expansion of the space station resupply market.

Key companies in the space station resupply market are focusing on technological innovations such as uncrewed lifting-body spaceplanes to improve cargo transport efficiency, allow runway landings for sensitive payload recovery, and support frequent, reusable missions to low Earth orbit. Uncrewed lifting-body spaceplanes are autonomous, reusable spacecraft that generate aerodynamic lift from their fuselage shape to glide and land on runways after completing space missions, without the need for onboard crew. For instance, in November 2023, Sierra Space Corporation, a US aerospace and space technology company, completed the assembly of its first Dream Chaser spaceplane, Tenacity, at its Louisville, Colorado facility. This marked a key milestone toward its first cargo mission to the International Space Station planned for spring. The Dream Chaser is a reusable, uncrewed lifting-body spacecraft designed to deliver cargo to and from the ISS, launching on a rocket and landing on a runway to allow gentle recovery of sensitive payloads.

In April 2025, SpaceX, a US aerospace company, partnered with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) under the Commercial Resupply Services contract. The partnership aims to deliver essential supplies and scientific experiments to the International Space Station, supporting ongoing research and preparing for future human exploration missions such as Artemis. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the US-based government agency responsible for civilian space exploration and research.

Major players in the space station resupply market are The Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Airbus Defense and Space GmbH, Northrop Grumman Corporation, L3Harris Technologies Inc., Space Exploration Technologies Corp., Blue Origin LLC, Maxar Technologies Inc., Sierra Space Corporation, European Space Agency (ESA), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Rocket Lab USA Inc., Firefly Aerospace Inc., Redwire Corporation, Axiom Space Inc., State Corporation for Space Activities “Roscosmos”, The Exploration Company S.A.S., NanoRacks LLC, Orbital Sciences Corporation, SpaceChain Foundation Ltd.

North America was the largest region in the space station resupply market in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in space station resupply report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in the space station resupply market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

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.

The sharp hike in U.S. tariffs and the associated trade disputes in spring 2025 are notably impacting the aerospace and defense sector by raising costs for titanium, carbon fiber composites, and avionics materials largely sourced from global suppliers. Defense contractors, locked into fixed-price government contracts, absorb these added costs, while commercial aerospace firms face airline pushback on higher aircraft prices. Delays in component shipments due to customs bottlenecks further disrupt tight production schedules for jets and satellites. The industry is responding by stockpiling critical materials, seeking waivers for defense-related imports, and collaborating with allied nations to diversify supply chain.

Space station resupply involves the transportation of essential resources to space stations to support human presence and ongoing operational activities in orbit. Its goal is to ensure the station remains functional and to facilitate continuous scientific research and exploration.

The primary vehicle types used for space station resupply include cargo spacecraft, reusable rockets, and space tugs. A cargo spacecraft is an uncrewed vehicle designed to deliver supplies, equipment, and scientific payloads to and from space stations or other orbital platforms. These payloads may consist of scientific instruments, food and water, spare parts, crew provisions, and various other cargo. The main end-users of space station resupply missions are government agencies, commercial organizations, and defense entities.

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

The space station resupply market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing services such as system integration services, upgrade services, software support, and training and simulation services. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The space station resupply market also includes sales of pressurized cargo modules, scientific instruments and research payloads, and space station maintenance kits. 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 and 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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