What is the space economy worth in 2026?

The global space economy is valued at $626B+ in 2026 and growing at 8-10% CAGR, driven by commercial launch, satellite communications, Earth observation, and defense. Industry projections estimate the space economy will surpass $1 trillion by 2034, with the commercial segment outpacing government spending for the first time.

How many rockets launched in 2025?

There were 260+ orbital launch attempts in 2025, a new annual record. SpaceX led with 130+ Falcon 9 missions, followed by Rocket Lab with 15+ Electron flights, ULA, Arianespace, ISRO, and an expanding roster of Chinese launch providers. The cadence is accelerating — SpaceX alone is targeting 150+ missions in 2026.

Who are the biggest private space companies?

The largest private space companies by valuation in 2026 include SpaceX ($350B, the most valuable private company in the world), Blue Origin (backed by $15B+ from Jeff Bezos), Sierra Space ($5.3B valuation), Axiom Space ($3.7B), Relativity Space ($4.2B), and Varda Space Industries. SpaceX dominates through both its Falcon 9/Starship launch business and the Starlink satellite broadband constellation.

What are the best space stocks to watch?

Pure-play public space stocks include RKLB (Rocket Lab — launch + spacecraft), LUNR (Intuitive Machines — lunar landers), ASTS (AST SpaceMobile — direct-to-cell satellite), PL (Planet Labs — Earth imaging), BKSY (BlackSky — geospatial intelligence), and SPIR (Spire Global — weather and maritime data). For broader space exposure, defense primes LMT, NOC, and BA all have significant space divisions.

What is Starship and why does it matter?

Starship is SpaceX's fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle capable of delivering 150+ metric tons to low Earth orbit — more than any rocket in history. It consists of the Super Heavy booster and Starship upper stage, both designed for rapid reuse. Starship is critical because its cost-per-kg target ($10-20/kg to LEO) would reduce launch costs by 100x compared to legacy vehicles, enabling in-space manufacturing, Mars colonization, lunar cargo delivery, and point-to-point Earth transport.

What is the commercial space station race?

With the International Space Station scheduled for deorbit around 2030, NASA has funded multiple commercial space station programs to ensure continued US presence in LEO. The leading contenders are Vast (Haven-1, targeting 2026 launch as the first commercial station), Axiom Space (attaching modules to ISS before free-flying), and Orbital Reef (Blue Origin + Sierra Space partnership). Starlab (Voyager Space + Airbus) is the fourth major program.

How much VC went into space in 2025?

Venture capital investment in space companies reached approximately $12.4B across 200+ deals in 2025, led by mega-rounds from SpaceX, defense-tech crossover companies, and Earth observation startups. The sector has seen a shift toward later-stage and growth equity, with increasing interest from sovereign wealth funds and defense-adjacent investors.

What is direct-to-device satellite?

Direct-to-device (D2D) satellite technology enables broadband connectivity from orbiting satellites directly to unmodified consumer smartphones — no special antenna or terminal needed. Key players include AST SpaceMobile (BlueBird satellites with massive phased-array antennas), SpaceX Starlink Direct to Cell (partnering with T-Mobile), and Lynk Global. D2D promises to eliminate cellular dead zones globally, with first commercial services launching in 2025-2026.

ORBITAL.INTEL

RKLBRocket Lab+Neutron.DevLUNRIntuitive+IM-2.LandingASTSAST Space+BlueBird.DeployPLPlanet Labs+Pelican.LaunchBKSYBlackSky+Gen-3.LiveSPIRSpire+100.SatsRDWRedwire+ISM.ModuleIRDMIridium+IoT.ExpandVSATViasat+ViaSat-3.LiveSPACEXSpaceX+Starship.V3FUND.YTD2025-26$12B+.Raised

Company	Round	Amount	Lead Investor	Date
Portal Space Systems	Series A	$50M	Geodesic Capital	Mar 31, 2026
Impulse Space	Series C	$150M	Undisclosed	Mar 14, 2026
Skyroot Aerospace	Debt	$12M	BlackRock	Mar 14, 2026
PLD Space	Series C	EUR 180M	Mitsubishi Electric	Feb 28, 2026
Sophia Space	Seed	$10M	Undisclosed	Feb 14, 2026

Date	Provider	Vehicle	Mission	Site
Mar 31, 2026	SpaceX	Falcon 9	Axiom Mission 5 (Ax-5)	Kennedy LC-39A
Apr 14, 2026	SpaceX	Falcon 9	CRS-33	Kennedy LC-39A
Apr 30, 2026	SpaceX	Starship	Integrated Flight Test 8	Starbase Boca Chica
Apr 30, 2026	ULA	Vulcan Centaur	Kuiper (ULA-5)	Cape Canaveral SLC-41
Apr 30, 2026	ISRO	PSLV	PSLV-C64	Sriharikota SDSC

Date	Provider	Vehicle	Mission	Outcome
Apr 7, 2026	Rocket Lab	Electron	Electron 2026-4	SUCCESS
Apr 7, 2026	CASC	Long March 5	Shijian-25	SUCCESS
Apr 5, 2026	SpaceX	Falcon 9	Starlink Group 13-2	SUCCESS
Apr 4, 2026	SpaceX	Falcon Heavy	USSF-67	SUCCESS
Apr 2, 2026	SpaceX	Falcon 9	Starlink Group 13-1	SUCCESS

ORBITAL.INTEL Launches: The Definitive Intelligence Platform for the Space Economy