The Future of Satellite Market

The satellite industry is undergoing an unprecedented transformation, moving from an era of static, government-owned infrastructure to a dynamic ecosystem dominated by private players and massive constellations.
Going a little deeper into this transformation, the satellite market is shifting toward data-driven and service-based models, reshaping how value is created and captured across the value chain. In this evolving context, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly moving beyond traditional subcontracting roles and may emerge as key actors capable of innovation and value creation.
This contribution focuses on how SMEs might position themselves along the vertical integration–outsourcing spectrum. Rather than replicating fully integrated models, they may consider selectively internalizing high-value activities—such as software, payloads, edge computing, and data analytics—while relying on external partners for standardized components. This raises the question of whether such approaches can enable SMEs to act both as niche innovators and as flexible integrators within complex systems such as satellite constellations.
More broadly, it highlights how SMEs may operate within value chains traditionally dominated by vertically integrated firms, exploring their potential role as both contributors to large-scale industrial systems providing modular components and autonomous actors in increasingly scalable and innovation-driven satellite markets.
This workshop will attempt to answer this question, trying to understand on the one hand whether this market is sustainable for an SME and where it could concretely land, both in terms of technological evolution and management evolution.