Paris, France | October 2026 – Global satellite services revenues are forecast to surge by 44% over the next decade, climbing to reach $145 billion by 2035, according to the newly released 33rd edition of Novaspace’s Satellite Connectivity and Video Market report. The comprehensive market study highlights that the coming decade will witness a fundamental transformation across the aerospace and telecommunications industries, anchored by data services firmly establishing themselves as the primary engine for financial expansion and technological innovation.
According to the findings, data services will scale dramatically to drive revenues to nearly $100 billion by the end of the forecast period. This anticipated expansion will fundamentally rebalance the industry’s revenue foundation, with data services expected to increase their share of total satellite services revenues from 26% to a commanding 68% over the decade. This paradigm shift is being accelerated by surging, widespread demand for robust connectivity across consumer, defense, government, and enterprise markets globally.
The Shift from Traditional Video to Connectivity-Driven Growth
While traditional video distribution has historically represented the industry’s largest revenue segment, the market dynamics are clearly pivoting toward connectivity. Future growth will be spearheaded by specific sectors, with Consumer Broadband, Milsatcom (Military Satellite Communications), and Enterprise Networks projected to lead the market expansion. Over the next ten years, these three segments alone are forecast to add $22.6 billion, $19.2 billion, and $17.2 billion in revenues, respectively.
Milsatcom, in particular, is rapidly emerging as a critical growth engine for the broader satellite industry. This acceleration is heavily fueled by escalating global defense spending and the wider integration of satcom-enabled operational concepts across modern military forces. Concurrently, Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) constellations are increasingly relied upon by government and defense users as a vital source of resilient, continuous operational capacity.
"Satellite connectivity is moving firmly into the mainstream," said Dimitri Buchs, Project Manager and Editor of the report. "The rapid expansion of NGSO capacity, declining bandwidth costs, and growing demand for resilient, always-available connectivity are fundamentally changing where and how satellite communications compete."
Exploding Capacity Demand and Declining Bandwidth Costs
The underlying market for satellite capacity is projected to undergo an unprecedented expansion, forecast to exceed $46 billion by 2035. This represents a more than threefold increase compared to 2025 levels. As the industry evolves, the composition of capacity revenues will experience a drastic transformation. Video Distribution, which stands as the largest capacity segment in 2025, is projected to account for a mere 3% of capacity revenues by the end of the decade. Conversely, Consumer Broadband and Milsatcom are projected to represent more than half of all total capacity revenues combined.
This market-wide scaling is directly tied to a sharp decline in bandwidth costs. Propelled by advanced High-Throughput Satellite (HTS) systems and a proliferating number of commercial NGSO initiatives, falling transmission expenses are accelerating satellite connectivity’s expansion into lucrative mass-market applications. Major providers, including industry heavyweight Starlink, are increasingly competing directly with terrestrial broadband services on price. This commercial evolution is steadily cementing satellite broadband’s reputation as a fully viable, competitive alternative to traditional fiber and wireless connectivity across an expanding spectrum of geographic and demographic markets.
A Rebounding GEO Market and Multi-Orbit Strategies
This industry-wide transformation is simultaneously reshaping the strategic role and operational models of traditional Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) operators. Following a historical low point that saw just six commercial GEO orders placed in 2024, the market staged a notable rebound with 10 orders recorded in 2025, followed by another 14 orders logged by mid-September 2026. This renewed commercial activity reflects evolving multi-orbit operational strategies and a persistent demand for the unique capabilities of GEO systems, even as NGSO constellations scale rapidly.
"This is not a return to the traditional GEO model," Buchs added, emphasizing the nuance of the current market trajectory. "Software-defined satellites, more flexible commercial models, sovereign requirements, and growing multi-orbit strategies are redefining GEO’s role. The future of satellite communications will not be GEO or NGSO—it will increasingly be an ecosystem in which each architecture serves distinct and complementary requirements."
About the Report and Market Intelligence
The 33rd edition of the Satellite Connectivity and Video Market report delivers an exhaustive assessment of global satellite service revenues, shifting capacity demand, evolving pricing trends, competitive dynamics, and operator strategies. It spans critical operational areas including video, broadband, enterprise, mobility, government, and defense markets through the year 2035.
This latest edition incorporates significant methodological enhancements, introducing a granular bottom-up model for Enterprise Networks Back-up terminals to provide industry stakeholders with deeper visibility into market demand and deployment trends. Furthermore, it features a thoroughly revised commercial Milsatcom model, offering comprehensive analysis segmented by geographic region, frequency band, and infrastructure type.
The comprehensive research also provides an updated evaluation of major developments steering the satellite communications sector. This includes tracking the ongoing maturation of NGSO constellations, emerging regulatory developments and Q/V frequency bands, shifting government and defense spending allocations, and the fluid competitive interplay between satellite networks and terrestrial infrastructure.
About Novaspace
Novaspace functions as a leading independent consulting and market intelligence firm dedicated entirely to the global space sector. Drawing on more than 40 years of specialized industry expertise, the company provides vital support to public and private stakeholders across the full space value chain. By integrating management and technology consulting with proprietary market intelligence and executive summits, Novaspace assists organizations in navigating operational complexities, mitigating risk, and capturing emerging growth opportunities.
Trusted by more than 1,200 clients across over 60 countries, Novaspace maintains a robust international presence with operational offices located in Bangalore, Brussels, London, Montreal, Munich, Paris, São Paulo, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, Toulouse, and Washington, D.C.
