The Space Economy is often referred to using a variety of different terminologies, e.g. Commercial Space, Space Sector, Space Market, Space Ecosystem, Space Industry. This article will use the term Space Economy.
The Space Economy forecasts provided below are from a wide variety of fortune tellers in government, commercial, and not for profit organizations.
Note that, while there are lots of estimates and forecasts available, it is difficult to compare Space Economy forecasts between organizations because each organization uses a different methodology. Moreover, differing methodologies are not the only problem, other issues include: the usage of different years, e.g. calendar year, fiscal year; currency exchange rates; inflation rates; and what the dollar amount stands for, e.g. contribution to GDP, revenue, market capitalization.
At the international level, Australia, Canada, United States, New Zealand, and United Kingdom have all stated their intention to align with the best practices laid out by the OECD Handbook on Measuring the Space Economy.
LEGEND: In the following tables, future estimates are indicated by an “e” suffix behind the year (e.g. 2030e). Actual estimates have no suffix behind the year (e.g. 2019).
Global Space Economy Size Estimates
Organization
PWC (using Bryce?)
Year
2040e
2040e
2040e
2040e
2040e
2040e
2035e
2030e
2030e
2030e
2030e
2026e
2025e
2021e
2021
2021
2021
2021
2020
2020
2020 revised
2020
2020
2019
2018
2018
2018
2017
2016
2016
2016
2016
2013
2013
2013
Size USD
$3 trillion
$2.7 trillion
$1.5 trillion
$1 trillion
$1 trillion
$926 billion
$798 billion
$10 trillion
$1.25 trillion
$642 billion
$600 billion
$540.75 billion
$459 billion
$4.5 trillion
$469 billion
$386 billion
$385 billion
$370 billion
$388.5 billion
$371 billion
$431 billion
$447 billion
$371 billion
$366 billion
$360 billion
$414.75 billion
$350 billion
$385 billion
$345 billion
$339.1 billion
$329.3 billion
$167 billion
$320 billion
$314.2 billion
$155.7 billion
National and Regional Space Economy Sizes
Recognizing the strategic importance of the Space Economy to future economic growth, some countries and regions have developed estimates and forecasts of their Space Economy to support policy making.
Year
2030e
2021
2020/2021
2018
Size
US$27.3 billion
US$4.6 billion
US$2.77 billion
US$1.8 billion
Year
2019
2018
2017
Size CDN (1)
$5.5 billion
$5.7 billion
$5.6 billion
Country
Year
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
Size USD (1)
$195 billion
$192 billion
$190 billion
$190 billion
$191 billion
$184 billion
$182 billion
$175 billion
Country
Year (2)
2020/21e
2019/20
2018/19
2017/18
2016/17
2015/16
2014/15
2013/14
2012/13
2011/12
Size GBP (3)
£16.372 billion
£16.528 billion
£16.821 billion
£15.898 billion
£15.864 billion
£15.178 billion
£14.873 billion
£14.64 billion
£13.297 billion
£12.77 billion
(1) Current dollars, not adjusted for inflation
(2) Government fiscal year April 6 to April 5
(3) All amounts are in 2019/20 prices
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