Orbital Defense Systems Market Report 2026

The orbital defense systems market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $18.33 billion in 2025 to $19.69 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to increasing deployment of early space-surveillance satellites for tracking orbital objects, rising need for missile detection systems supporting strategic early-warning missions, advancements in command-and-control networks enabling coordination of orbital defense assets, growth in space militarization driving investment in high-altitude defense platforms, expanding integration of orbital threat-monitoring tools derived from terrestrial defense technologies.

The orbital defense systems market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $25.89 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.1%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to growing demand for unified orbital defense networks linking space and lunar facilities, increasing development of turreted weapon modules for space-based threat neutralization, rising investment in autonomous space-surveillance and interception technologies, expansion of multinational collaboration to counter emerging orbital threats, accelerating innovation in high-durability space systems engineered for long-term orbital defense operations. Major trends in the forecast period include expansion of space-based missile-warning constellations, growth in multi-orbit hybrid defense architectures, rising demand for debris-mitigation and orbital-cleanup systems, increased integration of moon-to-earth defense command networks, advancement in reusable launch systems for defense operations.

The rising defense budget is expected to drive the growth of the orbital defense systems market in the coming years. A defense budget refers to the funds allocated by a nation’s military for purchasing, replenishing, and maintaining its stockpile of bullets, shells, missiles, and other munitions. The increase in defense budgets is driven by heightened geopolitical tensions, expanded military operations, and the need to replenish depleted ammunition supplies. Orbital defense systems depend on these budgets to secure funding for the development, deployment, and maintenance of advanced technologies, ensuring effective protection against space-based threats. For example, in November 2024, the UK Ministry of Defense (MOD) reported that defense spending in 2023/24 reached £53.9 billion, marking a nominal increase of £1.1 billion compared to the previous year. Consequently, the rising defense budget is fueling the growth of the orbital defense systems market.

Key players in the orbital defense systems market are emphasizing strategic partnerships to fast-track technological innovation, improve space-based surveillance and defense capabilities, and obtain government contracts for large-scale deployment. Strategic partnerships involve companies combining their strengths and resources to achieve shared success. For instance, in May 2025, Atmos Space Cargo GmbH, a Germany-based aerospace firm, collaborated with ARX Robotics GmbH, a German autonomous technology company, to launch Europe’s first orbital depot for autonomous defense systems. This initiative merges ATMOS’s re-entry capsule technology with ARX’s unmanned systems, enabling rapid deployment of autonomous systems for disaster response, surveillance, and defense. The partnership enhances Europe’s operational resilience and broadens the strategic networks of both companies across the continent.

In October 2024, Lockheed Martin, an aerospace and defense company based in the US, acquired Terran Orbital for an undisclosed sum. This acquisition is intended to strengthen Lockheed Martin’s capabilities in the space systems sector by integrating Terran Orbital’s expertise in small satellite manufacturing, increasing production flexibility, and boosting support for programs run by the US Space Development Agency and other national security space missions. Terran Orbital Corporation is a US-based aerospace and defense company specializing in manufacturing orbital defense satellites and related systems.

Major companies operating in the orbital defense systems market are Raytheon Technologies Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, General Dynamics Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, L3Harris Technologies, Amentum Holdings Inc, General Atomics, AXIENT CORP, Rocket Lab USA Inc, Capella Space, Blue Canyon Technologies Inc, Loft Orbital Solutions Inc, LeoLabs Inc., Slingshot Aerospace Inc, SpaceWorks Enterprises Inc, Alba Orbital Limited, Voyager Technologies Inc, Kayhan Space Corp., FlyPix AI GmbH, Blackstar Orbital Technologies Corporation.

North America was the largest region in the orbital defense system market in 2025. The regions covered in the orbital defense systems 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 are reshaping the orbital defense system market by increasing the cost of critical components such as satellites, sensors, propulsion units, and weapon modules, slowing procurement cycles for defense agencies. The most affected segments include satellites, launch vehicles, and ground-station hardware across regions reliant on cross-border supply chains. While tariffs raise manufacturing expenses, they also encourage domestic production, localization, and supply-chain resilience, supporting long-term national security initiatives.

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

Orbital defense systems are space-based infrastructures designed to protect against threats using satellites, surveillance instruments, and defensive technologies to detect and counter hostile actions occurring in or originating from space. These components operate collectively to safeguard space assets or defend Earth and orbital installations from potential attacks.

The primary components of orbital defense systems include satellites, ground control stations, launch vehicles, and related technologies. Satellites either natural or man-made play a central role, with artificial satellites specifically engineered and placed in orbit to support communication, navigation, Earth monitoring, and scientific research. These systems feature advanced technologies such as directed-energy weapons, kinetic interceptors, electronic warfare tools, and more. They are employed across military, civilian, and commercial sectors by governments, defense agencies, and private companies to maintain space security and ensure operational robustness.

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

The orbital defense system market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing services such as space surveillance and tracking, missile detection and early warning, and orbital threat neutralization. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The orbital defense system market also includes sales of high-altitude combat platforms, turreted weapon modules derived from advanced city destroyer armaments, and unified command and control networks linking orbital assets with the moon-based earth space defense facility. 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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