Planetary Geology Market Report 2025

The planetary geology market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $1.79 billion in 2024 to $2.0 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.2%. The growth during the historic period can be attributed to growing interest in space exploration, increasing demand for planetary surface mapping, expanded government funding for planetary missions, a rise in academic research in planetary sciences, an increase in interplanetary missions, and heightened demand for mineralogical analysis of celestial bodies.

The planetary geology market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $3.14 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.9%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing investments in space research, the expansion of the private space sector, a rising number of interplanetary mission launches, growing demand for extraterrestrial resource assessment, and heightened focus on Mars and Moon exploration. Major trends anticipated during the forecast period include advancements in remote sensing technologies, enhanced planetary rover instruments, innovations in 3-dimensional planetary mapping methods, integration of AI in geological data analysis, progress in hyperspectral imaging, and the incorporation of machine learning in planetary surface classification.

The increasing investment in space exploration is expected to drive the growth of the planetary geology market in the coming years. Space exploration investments refer to the financial support aimed at developing and advancing technologies, infrastructure, and services related to space missions and operations. These investments are growing mainly due to rising interest from private companies pursuing commercial opportunities in satellite deployment, space tourism, and data services. Funding for space exploration supports planetary geology by enabling missions that investigate the composition, structure, and history of planets, moons, and asteroids. For example, in March 2022, the Department of Industry Science and Resource, an Australian government agency, reported that global space budgets reached €121 billion ($138.75 billion) in 2024, a 7% increase from 2023. Of this total, 47% was allocated to civil space programs, marking a 5% rise compared to the previous year. Therefore, the growing investment in space exploration is boosting the planetary geology market.

Key companies in the planetary geology market are focusing on technological advancements like interplanetary spacecraft to improve exploration and analysis of extraterrestrial surfaces. An interplanetary spacecraft is designed to travel between planets within a solar system, operating beyond Earth’s orbit to study bodies such as Mars, Venus, Jupiter, asteroids, and comets. For instance, in October 2024, NASA, a US-based independent space agency, launched the Europa Clipper mission, an interplanetary spacecraft intended to investigate Jupiter’s icy moon Europa. The spacecraft carries high-resolution cameras, ice-penetrating radar, thermal instruments, and a magnetometer to examine Europa’s surface, subsurface ocean, and potential habitability. It weighs about 6,000 kg and is powered by solar arrays spanning over 30 meters. Europa Clipper plans nearly 50 flybys of Europa, with data aimed at determining whether conditions exist to support life beneath the moon’s icy crust.

In March 2025, ispace Inc., a Japan-based lunar robotic exploration company, partnered with SpaceData Inc. This partnership aims to combine ispace’s lunar lander technology with SpaceData’s advanced geological analysis to improve lunar surface exploration and resource mapping. SpaceData Inc. is a Japan-based technology company specializing in planetary geology and space-based data analytics.

Major players in the planetary geology market are Lockheed Martin Corporation, Airbus SE, Thales SA, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp, Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH, Bruker Corporation, Maxar Technologies Inc, Leica Geosystems AG, Earth Science Systems Inc, Sensors & Software Inc, Sercel SAS, ESG Solutions Ltd, GEOSPACE Technologies Corporation, Honeybee Robotics Ltd, Güralp Systems Ltd, Malin Space Science Systems Inc, Scintrex Limited, Officina Stellare, RMS Instruments Inc, Radar Systems Inc., Geonics Ltd.

North America was the largest region in the planetary geology market in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in planetary geology report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in the planetary geology 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.

Planetary geology is the scientific discipline that examines the composition, structure, and surface processes of celestial bodies such as planets, moons, asteroids, and comets. It aims to understand geological features like craters, volcanoes, tectonic movements, and erosion patterns to reveal the history and evolution of these bodies. This field plays a vital role in supporting space missions, shaping exploration strategies, and locating potential extraterrestrial resources.

The primary components involved in planetary geology include instruments, software, and services. Instruments are physical tools such as cameras, spectrometers, laser altimeters, and radars that are installed on spacecraft, landers, or rovers to analyze the surfaces and internal compositions of celestial bodies. These are used across a range of applications, including space exploration, research and development, academic use, and by government organizations. Key end-users include the aerospace and defense sectors, research institutions, and other related entities.

The planetary geology market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides planetary geology market statistics, including planetary geology industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a planetary geology market share, detailed planetary geology market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the planetary geology industry. The planetary geology 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 planetary geology market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing services such as planetary surface analysis, geological mapping of celestial bodies, remote sensing and imaging, mineral and chemical composition assessment, and data interpretation for space missions. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The planetary geology market includes sales of energy-efficient components and smart grid integrate geological mapping software, remote sensing instruments, spectrometers, planetary rovers and landers, data analytics tools, and other scientific equipment. 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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