Space Economy Initiative
Building an inclusive, resilient and sustainable global space economy
Latest News
- In April 2025, UNOOSA provided technical assistance to the Brazilian Space Agency in organizing the
Space Industry Workshop in Brazil (São Paolo), the first of its kind in the country. The workshop brought together over 100 international and national experts and participants to foster innovation, promote international collaboration, and integrate the space sector with industries from other sectors, creating new business and technological opportunities. Explore the presentations from the workshop:
Read more - In September 2024, UNOOSA organized a
2-day Online Masterclass for the staff of the Brazilian Space Agency to broaden knowledge of the foundational concepts of space economy and develop enhanced capabilities for catalyzing and enabling the national space economy. Participants benefited from tailored active learning activities prepared by the Oxford Saïd Business School, ESA, and other speakers, nurturing analytical skills and fostering an entrepreneurial spirit and transformative mindset for growing the Brazilian space economy.
Read more - In March 2024, with support from UNDP, UNOOSA launched a new free,
online course on the Space Economy. Through three 45-minute modules, the course introduces you to the basics of the space economy and the benefits space activities generate across various sectors. You can also learn about the future outlook for investments and innovation in the space domain and discover ways in which you can participate in this transformative field.
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Introduction
The global space economy is expanding rapidly. Currently representing a USD 500 billion industry* with projections of a significant increase in the coming years, the global space economy offers transformative opportunities for innovation, economic growth, and sustainable development. Lower barriers to access space mean that space is no longer the domain of a few - it is now a strategic sector with the potential to unlock growth across industries, create high-value jobs, and foster STEM advancement. For countries, investing in space is an investment in national resilience, competitiveness, and socio-economic progress.
However, significant challenges remain, particularly for developing countries. Gaps in financial, technical, and human resources, limited policy frameworks, and a shortage of skilled professionals hinder meaningful and sustained participation. While nearly 100 countries have launched a satellite, many have done so only once, with limited long-term capacity. Choosing the right development path is further complicated by the diversity of public and private actors with different interests and needs, a rapidly evolving global landscape, and national priorities.
The Space Economy initiative reflects UNOOSA's commitment to an inclusive and tailored approach to space economy development and capacity building. We work with established, emerging and non-spacefaring countries and institutions, as well as tapping into the expertise of United Nations entities, academia and industry, to exchange actionable practices, spark entrepreneurship, build partnerships, and support the creation and advancement of thriving space economies. By providing a structured yet flexible framework, this initiative helps Member States think holistically about the space sector - not only as a purely technological or industrial domain but as a cross-cutting driver of economic transformation and societal benefit. In doing so, UNOOSA aims to empower countries to harness space as a strategic asset for sustainable development.
Our Approach
SPEED - Space Economy and Ecosystem Development
UNOOSA supports Member States in developing, navigating and shaping the evolving space economy. SPEED offers a comprehensive and inclusive framework for understanding, assessing, and advancing space-related development, regardless of a country's current level of space activity or industrial maturity.
At the heart of SPEED lies an integrated approach structured around the three Es: Economy, Ecosystem, and Economics. These dimensions are critical to developing a sustainable, inclusive, and forward-looking space sector that contributes meaningfully to national development priorities and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Three Es Explained
Economy: The Space Market and Value Chain
The Economy dimension focuses on the market activities and diverse actors that constitute the space sector. This includes the full value chain, as well as both Space for Earth and Space for Space segments. Understanding the productive forces behind these goods and services and the interaction of diverse actors with diverse interests and needs enables Member States to identify opportunities, build capabilities, and stimulate entrepreneurship and industrial growth.
Ecosystem: The Enabling Environment
The Ecosystem refers to the broader set of enablers and support systems that sustain and accelerate the growth of the space economy. This includes regulatory frameworks, access to finance, infrastructure, human capital development, science and technology education, trade facilitation and international cooperation. Understanding the interaction between enablers and the market is essential, as their interdependencies and connectedness determine the resilience, scalability, and long-term sustainability of national space economies. A well-developed ecosystem ensures that space activities are not pursued in isolation but are supported by a conducive environment that brings together government, academia, private sector, and civil society.
Economics: Informed Decision-Making and Policy Design
The Economics dimension highlights the importance of applying economic thinking to space development. It involves understanding costs, benefits, trade-offs, innovation systems, incentives and public policy choices. By adopting an economics-informed lens, Member States can make better decisions regarding public investments, incentivize private sector participation, evaluate socio-economic returns, and design space policies that align with national development goals. Private space companies would also benefit from understanding the economics of space as their decisions not only impact national and international markets and policy environments, but also carry long-term consequences for the sustainability and equitable use of the outer space domain.
Objectives
- Promote equitable access to the benefits of the space economy by strengthening the capacity of all countries, particularly developing nations, to participate meaningfully in the global space economy.
- Support Member States in developing their space economy through targeted capacity-building activities that equip Member States with the institutional, technical, and strategic capabilities to inform evidence-based policymaking.
- Facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration by providing a platform for the exchange of insights, best practices, and expertise among governments, industry, academia, and international organizations to advance collective understanding and cooperation in the space economy.
Areas of work
No two countries are the same, therefore, the one-size-fits-all approach does not work. We provide tailored technical advisory missions to support Member States in developing national space roadmaps and strategies. Using a best-practice analytical framework and drawing on UN-wide expertise and ability to convene relevant governmental entities to the table, we help countries chart short-, medium-, and long-term pathways aligned with their unique economic contexts, cultures, and developmental priorities. Click here to learn about our project with Brazil.
Maximizing space benefits requires an enhanced understanding of the opportunities space activities present. We provide education and training to help Member States build the skills, knowledge, and insights needed to thrive in the space economy. All learning opportunities are free of charge and open to all nationalities. Newcomers can start with our dedicated eLearning course, Introduction to the Space Economy, where you will learn about the New Space Economy, its innovation potential, socio-economic impact, and global market influence.
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Space activities are contributing immeasurably to economic prosperity, and their role will grow even stronger in the future. Understanding their economics is vital to inform national policies, assess trade-offs, and ensure long-term sustainability. We bring together global subject matter experts to share insights on common economic issues and kickstart conversations on specific topics of interest. Topics to be covered include the economics of space sustainability, incentives and regulations, international cooperation and competition, and more.
The Space Economy initiative contributes to the implementation of the following Sustainable Development Goals:
Get involved
Member States and interested donors may provide resources to implement the overall program or provide tailored and targeted support to a specific area of work. Projects may be adjusted or developed according to the interests of potential donors. If you're interested in supporting the global growth of sustainable and dynamic space economies that accelerate sustainable socio-economic development, please contact oosa(at)un.org.
*Space Foundation, Space Report Online, 2024. Available at: https://www.spacefoundation.org/2024/07/18/the-space-report-2024-q2/