Mars Entry Descent and Landing System Market Report 2026

The mars entry descent and landing system market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $2.43 billion in 2025 to $2.76 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.6%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to success of past Mars rover missions, advancements in supersonic parachute technology, development of retro-propulsion systems, improvements in thermal protection materials, investments in atmospheric entry simulation facilities.

The mars entry descent and landing system market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $4.54 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.2%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to demand for crewed Mars landing systems, adoption of precision landing technologies, development of reusable EDL components, integration with Mars surface habitat deployment, expansion of Mars sample return mission capabilities. Major trends in the forecast period include advanced supersonic parachute technologies, retro-propulsion system optimization, thermal protection system innovations, atmospheric entry simulation and testing advancements, precision landing and hazard avoidance systems.

The rising number of space exploration missions is expected to drive the growth of the Mars entry, descent, and landing system market in the coming years. These missions, which focus on advancing scientific and technological efforts to explore outer space, are increasing due to growing government and private sector investments in space technologies. Mars entry, descent, and landing systems play a critical role in ensuring spacecraft can safely enter the Martian atmosphere, decelerate, and land securely on the planet’s surface, enabling rovers and scientific instruments to function effectively. For example, in January 2025, the Space Foundation, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization, reported that global launch activity reached a record high for the third consecutive year, with 223 attempts and 212 successful missions, alongside a 50% surge in commercial launch activity compared to 2022. Therefore, the growing number of space exploration missions is fueling the demand for Mars entry, descent, and landing systems.

Key companies operating in the mars entry, descent, and landing (EDL) system market are focusing on advanced technologies, such as throttlable retro-propulsion systems, to gain a competitive advantage. These systems allow spacecraft to decelerate from high speeds through precision thrust control, improving landing accuracy and safety. For instance, in March 2025, Airbus, a France-based aerospace company, introduced a new lander platform for the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin mission featuring a large propulsion system capable of reducing the platform’s speed from 45 m/s to less than 3 m/s, deploying two lateral ramps for rover egress, and utilizing mechanical and thermal subsystems in its landing structure. While the adoption of modern EDL technologies enhances performance and differentiation in the market, the increased system complexity also raises development costs and technical risks.

In March 2024, Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX), a U.S.-based aerospace and space technology company, acquired Pioneer Aerospace Corporation for \$2.2 million. This acquisition is intended to enhance SpaceX’s expertise in parachute technology, a key element of entry, descent, and landing systems, to ensure safer and more reliable landings for future missions, including potential Mars exploration. Pioneer Aerospace Corporation, a U.S.-based aerospace manufacturing company, specializes in designing and producing parachute systems that decelerate and safely land spacecraft.

Major companies operating in the mars entry descent and landing system market are Airbus Defence and Space, Lockheed Martin Space, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), Northrop Grumman Corporation, Honeywell Aerospace, L3Harris Technologies, Leonardo S.p.A., Teledyne Technologies, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Moog Inc., Thales Alenia Space, SENER Aeroespacial S.A., OHB System AG, ILC Dover LP, Heathcoat Fabrics Ltd., Marotta Controls Inc., Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Stellar Technology Inc., Malin Space Science Systems Inc., Paragon Space Development Corporation.

North America was the largest region in the mars entry descent and landing system market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the mars entry descent and landing system 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 such as heat shields, parachutes, propulsion systems, and sensors have increased production costs for Mars EDL systems, particularly affecting components used in retro-propulsion, thermal protection, and supersonic parachute segments in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions. These tariffs have caused supply chain disruptions and delivery delays for government space agencies and commercial space companies. Positively, tariffs are incentivizing domestic manufacturing, encouraging innovation, and promoting development of cost-efficient EDL solutions.

The mars entry, descent, and landing system market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides mars entry, descent, and landing system market statistics, including the mars entry, descent, and landing system industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with the mars entry, descent, and landing system market share, detailed mars entry, descent, and landing system market segments, market trends, and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the mars entry, descent, and landing system industry. This mars entry, descent, and landing system 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 Mars entry, descent, and landing (EDL) system is an integrated set of technologies and processes designed to safely deliver a spacecraft from the edge of the Martian atmosphere to the planet’s surface. Its primary function is to decelerate the spacecraft from interplanetary speeds, guide it through Mars’ thin atmosphere, and achieve a controlled landing for rovers, scientific instruments, or future human missions.

The main components of the Mars EDL system include parachutes, heat shields, landing legs, propulsion systems, sensors, and others. Parachutes act as aerodynamic decelerators, deploying during atmospheric entry to generate drag and slow the spacecraft for a controlled descent. These systems employ a range of technologies such as powered descent, parachute descent, airbag landings, sky crane maneuvers, and more. They are applied in both manned and unmanned missions, with key end users including government space agencies, commercial space companies, research institutions, and others.

The countries covered in the mars entry descent and landing system market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The mars entry descent and landing (EDL) system market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing services such as spacecraft design and integration, atmospheric entry simulation and testing, telemetry and data acquisition solutions. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The mars entry descent and landing (EDL) system market also includes sales of thermal protection systems, supersonic parachutes, retro-propulsion thrusters, aerodynamic decelerators. 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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