Only a few years ago, it was like conquering the unknow. The Last Frontier. A field in which we humans were settling for the first time. However, space is now key to the development of critical infrastructures such as transportation, water, energy, or communications, as well as the measurement and mitigation of climate change. What are the implications of this new revolution in the space economy? Are we prepared for it?
According to a recent report of the World Economic Forum, the space economy is growing at a rate of 9% per year and is expected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035. This is for a reason. Not only does space exploration drive technological advancements which frequently have applications in areas such as clean energy technologies, medical advances, environmental monitoring, and long-term sustainability, but large-scale spatial connectivity also ensures global coverage, scalability, and reliability.
“Having this level of connectivity allows you to design innovative applications with a multisectoral impact –for example agriculture or logistics. the New Space paradigm hinges upon constellations of nano or minisatellites operating in low-Earth orbit (LEO). These constellations are meticulously designed to provide the precise coverage demanded by their underlying business models, often specializing in Internet of Things (IoT) services,” says Joan Mas, Scientific Director of the Digital Area of the Eurecat technology center.
Traditionally, access to space was a domain restricted to a select few – governments and a handful of large corporations. However, lower launch costs and the advent of affordable, small satellites are democratizing space exploration, fostering a burgeoning ecosystem of commercial and scientific ventures to tackle critical challenges, such as bridging the digital divide in underserved areas (often termed “white zones”) and enhancing resilience in the face of natural disasters or geopolitical conflicts. Recent examples of this transformative trend are Los Angeles fires or the Ukraine war.
We know that SpaceX (Starlink) and Amazon (Kuiper) are launching massive constellations of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. These constellations promise to revolutionize global communication by providing high-speed internet access to even the most remote regions. We know that Laser-based communication technologies are emerging as a promising alternative to traditional radio frequency communication, enabling faster and more reliable data transmission between satellites and ground stations.
And we also know that AI and machine learning are playing a crucial role in optimizing space connectivity, by improving satellite orbits and network traffic management to data analysis and anomaly detection.
And that is great. So much for the technical side of the story.
An accelerated race
As a result, more players are joining the party, in an accelerated race towards a new space economy that, according to Xavier Lobao, Head of Future Telecom Programs Division at the European Space Agency (ESA) and speaker at the IOT Solutions World Congress 2025 (IOTSWC25), “will benefit all transport industries in addition to allowing the monitoring of goods of all kinds and critical supply chains.”
Brad Morrison, CEO of Atlantis Industries and Texas Space Commissioner, who will also be a keynote speaker at IOTSWC25, echoes that sentiment: “Space offers a unique near zero gravity environment to help in manufacturing breakthroughs across bio, pharma, and semiconductor industries. Additionally, space offers “high ground” for enhancing IT wireless connectivity – any device, anywhere, anytime,” he says.
In this sense, experts underline that one of the most exciting developments is the use of picosatellites -satellites at a mass below 1 kg, implemented by use of modern miniaturization techniques- that envision offering a cost-effective way to connect millions of IoT devices around the world that may not have access to terrestrial networks.
And yet, as with any technological advancement, there are always tradeoffs. “Initiatives such as Starlink and Kuiper offer massive, high-speed connectivity, based on closed, proprietary standards, but have some limitations in the case of IoT, especially in terms of interoperability and cost,” Joan Mas points out.
“In contrast, ESA’s initiatives, based on open standards, are better positioned to address the specific needs of the IoT, fostering collaboration, sustainability and technological sovereignty in Europe as well as better integration with terrestrial networks,” adds the Scientific Director of the Digital Area of the Eurecat technology center. Xavier Lobao couldn’t agree more. He reminds that the European Commission is pushing forward delayed plans for a 10.6 billion euro ($11.13 billion) secure European satellite constellation in response to Elon Musk’s Starlink and other fast-growing internet networks.
However, overall, it’s not a walk in the park and requires effective investment and management as space is not just becoming closer and cheaper but also more crowded. In February 2024, CNN highlighted that there are “nearly 30,000 objects bigger than a softball hurtling a few hundred miles above Earth, ten times faster than a bullet”. And according to ESA, scientific models estimate the total number of space debris objects in Earth orbit to be more than 170 million – for sizes larger than 1 mm.
That’s not just a space-specific problem as the increasing density of objects in orbit poses a considerable risk of collisions and effectively constitutes an ongoing pollution crisis. Another one.
Addressing these challenges as well as the opportunities arising from space economy requires careful consideration and a critical discussion we will continue at IOTSWC25 as ‘the next frontier’ requires a renewed focus.
Only a few years ago, it was like conquering the unknow. The Last Frontier. A field in which we humans were settling for the first time. However, space is now key to the development of critical infrastructures such as transportation, water, energy, or communications, as well as the measurement and mitigation of climate change. What are the implications of this new revolution in the space economy? Are we prepared for it?
According to a recent report of the World Economic Forum, the space economy is growing at a rate of 9% per year and is expected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035. This is for a reason. Not only does space exploration drive technological advancements which frequently have applications in areas such as clean energy technologies, medical advances, environmental monitoring, and long-term sustainability, but large-scale spatial connectivity also ensures global coverage, scalability, and reliability.
“Having this level of connectivity allows you to design innovative applications with a multisectoral impact –for example agriculture or logistics. the New Space paradigm hinges upon constellations of nano or minisatellites operating in low-Earth orbit (LEO). These constellations are meticulously designed to provide the precise coverage demanded by their underlying business models, often specializing in Internet of Things (IoT) services,” says Joan Mas, Scientific Director of the Digital Area of the Eurecat technology center.
Traditionally, access to space was a domain restricted to a select few – governments and a handful of large corporations. However, lower launch costs and the advent of affordable, small satellites are democratizing space exploration, fostering a burgeoning ecosystem of commercial and scientific ventures to tackle critical challenges, such as bridging the digital divide in underserved areas (often termed “white zones”) and enhancing resilience in the face of natural disasters or geopolitical conflicts. Recent examples of this transformative trend are Los Angeles fires or the Ukraine war.
We know that SpaceX (Starlink) and Amazon (Kuiper) are launching massive constellations of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. These constellations promise to revolutionize global communication by providing high-speed internet access to even the most remote regions. We know that Laser-based communication technologies are emerging as a promising alternative to traditional radio frequency communication, enabling faster and more reliable data transmission between satellites and ground stations.
And we also know that AI and machine learning are playing a crucial role in optimizing space connectivity, by improving satellite orbits and network traffic management to data analysis and anomaly detection.
And that is great. So much for the technical side of the story.
An accelerated race
As a result, more players are joining the party, in an accelerated race towards a new space economy that, according to Xavier Lobao, Head of Future Telecom Programs Division at the European Space Agency (ESA) and speaker at the IOT Solutions World Congress 2025 (IOTSWC25), “will benefit all transport industries in addition to allowing the monitoring of goods of all kinds and critical supply chains.”
Brad Morrison, CEO of Atlantis Industries and Texas Space Commissioner, who will also be a keynote speaker at IOTSWC25, echoes that sentiment: “Space offers a unique near zero gravity environment to help in manufacturing breakthroughs across bio, pharma, and semiconductor industries. Additionally, space offers “high ground” for enhancing IT wireless connectivity – any device, anywhere, anytime,” he says.
In this sense, experts underline that one of the most exciting developments is the use of picosatellites -satellites at a mass below 1 kg, implemented by use of modern miniaturization techniques- that envision offering a cost-effective way to connect millions of IoT devices around the world that may not have access to terrestrial networks.
And yet, as with any technological advancement, there are always tradeoffs. “Initiatives such as Starlink and Kuiper offer massive, high-speed connectivity, based on closed, proprietary standards, but have some limitations in the case of IoT, especially in terms of interoperability and cost,” Joan Mas points out.
“In contrast, ESA’s initiatives, based on open standards, are better positioned to address the specific needs of the IoT, fostering collaboration, sustainability and technological sovereignty in Europe as well as better integration with terrestrial networks,” adds the Scientific Director of the Digital Area of the Eurecat technology center. Xavier Lobao couldn’t agree more. He reminds that the European Commission is pushing forward delayed plans for a 10.6 billion euro ($11.13 billion) secure European satellite constellation in response to Elon Musk’s Starlink and other fast-growing internet networks.
However, overall, it’s not a walk in the park and requires effective investment and management as space is not just becoming closer and cheaper but also more crowded. In February 2024, CNN highlighted that there are “nearly 30,000 objects bigger than a softball hurtling a few hundred miles above Earth, ten times faster than a bullet”. And according to ESA, scientific models estimate the total number of space debris objects in Earth orbit to be more than 170 million – for sizes larger than 1 mm.
That’s not just a space-specific problem as the increasing density of objects in orbit poses a considerable risk of collisions and effectively constitutes an ongoing pollution crisis. Another one.
Addressing these challenges as well as the opportunities arising from space economy requires careful consideration and a critical discussion we will continue at IOTSWC25 as ‘the next frontier’ requires a renewed focus.
Article by: Anna Solana