Two years ago, the global space economy had already reached $570 billion, double what it had been just a decade before, and with projections of $1-2 trillion by 2040¹.

The opportunity is bigger than people realize: beyond the headlines of Blue Origin- style space tourism and other companies' satellite internet, entirely new markets are forming around in-space computing, data, commerce, security, and coordination.

This is directly relevant to anyone building in web3, decentralized infrastructure, DePIN, edge computing, tokenized services, and AI. The primitives of a programmable space economy are starting to emerge. The SpaceComputer project is building for this frontier. Here are six trends we’re watching:

1. Cheap, On-Demand Launch Fueling an Orbital Boom

Reusable rockets and small launch systems have brought the cost of orbit down to ~$2,000/kg, down from more than $20,000/kg a decade ago². Launches are now happening nearly daily, with SpaceX alone accounting for 138 launches in 2024³.

Small containerized rockets allow rapid, mobile launches⁴. The result: there’s now a massive pipeline of private sector activity, startups, and nation-states putting assets in orbit.

Projections on costs going down
The global launch services market is expected to reach $30 billion annually by 2030, driven by increasing launch cadence, demand for small satellites, and further cost reductions⁵.

Takeaway: The friction of “getting to space” is collapsing. Expect an exponential increase in deployable space-based compute, data, sensors, and services.

2. Mega-constellations & Smallsats Are Creating New Markets

In space right now, there are over 11,700 active satellites, up from ~5,000 in 2018. This number is growing fast⁶. Starlink alone runs 7,500+ satellites⁷. Other players are launching IoT constellations, Earth imaging, and edge compute in orbit.

Low-cost CubeSats and mass-produced small satellites are unlocking entirely new categories: high-frequency Earth observation, persistent IoT connectivity, space-based cloud storage, and more^8,9.

Takeaway: Satellites can now be thought of and commoditized as “programmable infrastructure,” forming a vast and expanding layer that will host the deployment of new services.

3. Orbital Commerce & In-Space Payments

The first satellite-to-satellite payments have already occurred — JPMorgan tested blockchain-based payments between two satellites in 2021¹⁰.

Orbital servicing (refueling, life extension) is moving from experimental to operational. Europe’s in-orbit servicing market alone is projected to exceed €5 billion by 2030¹¹. In the near future, spacecraft will be able to autonomously buy, sell, and trade resources like fuel, compute time, or data, with the payments (and the smart contracts behind them) executed in orbit¹².

Takeaway: The nascent space economy will be driven by a DePIN-powered model, emphasizing tokenized services, in-space markets, and autonomous agents.

4. Decentralized, Tamper-Proof Computing in Space

As critical infrastructure moves to orbit, security and decentralization matter. Blockchains have already operated in space (e.g. Blockstream broadcasting Bitcoin from orbit)¹³, and U.S. defense agencies are exploring blockchain for secure comms and tamper-proof ledgers among satellite networks¹⁴.

Decentralized consensus between satellites is likely to be foundational for secure coordination, especially across mixed networks (government, commercial, adversarial)¹⁵.

Takeaway: Space is a natural environment for decentralized systems and trustless coordination — with major needs for secure, verifiable compute.

Decentralized systems and trustless coordination naturally thrive in space, an environment that presents significant demands for secure, verifiable computation.

5. Dual-Use Infrastructure Driven by Defense Budgets

Military demand is underwriting much of this new infrastructure: ~$135 billion in global government space spending in 2024, with military programs now making up ~50% of that¹⁶.

Growing markets include so-called rapid launch (“responsive launch”), global surveillance, and high-frequency Earth observation. Military customers are already major buyers of commercial satellite imagery and comms¹⁷.

Smaller nation states are seeking opportunities to enter orbit in ways that are affordable for them. Eventually network states will be doing the same. In 2023, more than 70 countries had satellites in orbit, including many emerging economies¹⁸. Several are exploring commercial partnerships and open standards to gain sovereign access affordably.

Takeaway: Significant capital is being invested, and much of the necessary infrastructure—including launch systems, data pipelines, and satellite networks—will serve dual purposes, readily accessible to commercial developers.

6. Open Standards for an Interoperable Space Economy

Just like the internet and previous eras of computing needed TCP/IP and USB, the space economy is starting to embrace open standards for interoperability, including for docking, refueling, and data exchange.

Examples:

• Lockheed Martin’s Mission Augmentation Port - USB-for-space docking¹⁹
• DARPA’s Space-BACN - cross-constellation laser comms system²⁰
• Artemis Accords - signed by 20+ nations, establishing shared principles for interoperability and coordination in space exploration²¹

Takeaway: The space economy is transitioning towards an open, composable architecture. This shift presents a significant opportunity for innovators to develop value-added layers, such as data solutions, marketplaces, and coordination platforms.

The Space Economy: Not a Distant Dream.

One of our core beliefs is that the space economy is a massive and fast-growing market that web3-native builders should be paying attention to.

The opportunity:

• Composable space infrastructure
• Tokenized in-orbit marketplaces
• Decentralized coordination across mixed satellite networks
• Edge AI and DePIN deployed in orbit
• Space-based data feeds and services for on-chain use

At SpaceComputer, we recognize that there’s a trillion-dollar market being built and that programmable, decentralized infrastructure will be core to making it accessible.

If you feel the same, join our growing community on Telegram.

Sources

1. PwC, Space: The Next Industrial Revolution, April 2025.
2. PwC, Ibid. Launch cost estimates based on public SpaceX data and small launcher disclosures.
3. Space Insider – Lafleur, A., “SpaceX Sets Global Launch Record in 2024,” May 2025.
4. Space.com – Wall, M., “ABL’s Containerized RS1 Rocket,” July 2024.
5. Euroconsult – Satellite Value Chain: Launch Services Outlook to 2030, 2024.
6. Live Science – Baker, H., “How Many Satellites Orbit Earth?”, May 2025.
7. Ibid.
8. BryceTech – Smallsats by the Numbers, 2023.
9. ASME – Poirier, L., “Satellites and Space Objects Abound,” Dec 2023.
10. Reuters – Irrera, A., “JPMorgan Tests Satellite Payments via Blockchain,” Feb 2021.
11. Telespazio – In-Orbit Servicing Market Outlook, 2023.
12. World Economic Forum – Stöcker, C., “Blockchain for Space-Based Commerce,” Mar 2017.
13. Futurism – Lant, K., “Blockstream Broadcasts Bitcoin from Space,” Aug 2017.
14. U.S. Air Force Blockchain Innovation Contracts, 2022.
15. Spacecoin Blue Paper, Nov 2024.
16. Space Foundation – The Space Report 2024, July 2024.
17. Union of Concerned Scientists – Satellite Database, May 2023.
18. OECD – The Space Economy for Developing Nations, 2023.
19. Aviation Week – Reim, G., “Lockheed’s Open Docking Standard,” Apr 2022.
20. DARPA – Space-BACN Program Overview, 2024.
21. NASA – Artemis Accords Signatories and Framework, 2024.