Space Resource Utilization Market Report 2025

The space resource utilization market size has grown exponentially in recent years. It will grow from $1.36 billion in 2024 to $1.64 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.5%. The growth during the historic period can be attributed to rising government space budgets, the commercialization of low Earth orbit, growing emphasis on sustainable space missions, and increasing demand for rare metals and minerals.

The space resource utilization market size is expected to see exponential growth in the next few years. It will grow to $3.42 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.2%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing autonomy in space missions, rising demand for rare materials, growing interest in utilizing extraterrestrial resources, increasing need for specialized mining spacecraft, and the continued expansion of space exploration. Key trends anticipated during the forecast period include advancements in space exploration technologies, development of permanent habitats and research stations, progress in autonomous robotic mining systems, and innovations in additive manufacturing (3D printing) for use in space.

The increasing demand for rare minerals is expected to propel the growth of the space resource utilization market going forward. Rare minerals refer to naturally occurring materials that are scarce in the Earth's crust and are highly valued for their unique properties used in electronics, renewable energy, and aerospace technologies. The demand for rare minerals is increasing due to their essential role in manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles. Space resource utilization helps balance the use of rare minerals, enabling the extraction of scarce and valuable elements from asteroids and the lunar surface, helping to meet industrial demand and reduce reliance on Earth's depleting resources. For example, in December 2022, according to Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, a US-based think tank, the annual rare earth mining quota was set at a record-high of 210,000 tons, representing a 25% increase over the previous record of 168,000 tons set in 2021. The increasing demand for rare minerals drives the growth of the space resource utilization market.

Major companies operating in the space resource utilization market are focusing on developing innovative solutions such as polar resources ice mining equipment to develop technologies for extracting and processing water ice from lunar poles. Polar resources ice mining equipment refers to specialized tools designed to excavate lunar polar soil and analyze it for the presence of water ice and other volatiles. For example, in February 2025, Space Exploration Technologies Corp., a US-based space technology company, launched the Intuitive Machines IM-2 mission carrying PRIME-1 (Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1). It is a NASA payload designed to demonstrate key technologies for locating and extracting water ice from the Moon’s surface. PRIME-1 aims to test a drill and a mass spectrometer to detect and analyze subsurface ice. The mission supports future lunar exploration by helping to develop methods for in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), which is critical for enabling long-term human presence on the Moon and reducing reliance on Earth-supplied resources.

In January 2022, Blue Origin Enterprises L.P., a US-based company specializing in space technology, acquired Honeybee Robotics for an undisclosed amount. Through this acquisition, Blue Origin aims to enhance its capabilities in planetary robotics, specialized space mechanisms, and in-situ resource utilization by integrating Honeybee Robotics' expertise in robotic drills, actuators, and sampling systems, supporting next-generation space transportation, mobility, and planetary science. Honeybee Robotics is a US-based company specializing in developing and manufacturing robots for space exploration and resource utilization.

Major players in the space resource utilization market are Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Airbus Defense and Space SA, Blue Origin Enterprises L.P., Thales Alenia Space SAS, Sierra Nevada Company LLC, AMi Exploration, ispace Inc., Turion Space Corp., Wyvern, AstroForge Inc., Bradford Space Inc., Interlune Corporation, Astrobotic Technology Inc., Moon Express Inc., Orbit Fab Inc., Trans Astronautica Corporation, Astronika, Off-World Inc., Polimak Space, Lunasonde.

North America was the largest region in the space resource utilization market in 2024. The regions covered in space resource utilization report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in the space resource utilization 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 resource utilization involves the identification, extraction, processing, and application of materials located in space, such as those on the Moon, asteroids, or other celestial bodies, to support space missions and enable sustained human presence beyond Earth. These resources are used for life support, fuel generation, construction materials, and space-based manufacturing. The goal of space resource utilization is to minimize dependence on Earth-supplied resources, reduce mission costs, and promote sustainable space exploration and development.

The primary types of resources involved in space resource utilization include water, metals, minerals, gases, and others. Water refers to frozen or liquid water found on celestial bodies like the Moon or asteroids and is used in various applications such as construction, fuel production, life support, and manufacturing. These resources serve a range of end users including government agencies, commercial entities, and other stakeholders.

The space resource utilization market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides space resource utilization market statistics, including space resource utilization industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a space resource utilization market share, detailed space resource utilization market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the space resource utilization industry. This space resource utilization 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.

The space resource utilization market includes revenues earned by entities by providing services such as life support resource supply, orbital debris recycling, power generation services, and on-demand manufacturing support. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.

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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