Europe & CIS Small Satellite Market By Satellite Type (Nanosatellite, Microsatellite, Minisatellite, Others), By End User (Civil, Defense, Commercial), By Application (Earth Observation & Meteorology, Communication, Scientific Research & Exploration, Surveillance & Security, Mapping & Navigation), and By Country, Competition, Forecast & Opportunities, 2018-2028

Europe & CIS small satellite market is expected to grow at higher CAGR during the forecast period due to increasing focus on the communication sector, aircraft tracking and increasing demand for nanosatellites in the market.

Europe & CIS Small Satellite Market Scope

The Europe & CIS small satellites market offers a wide range of scope and opportunities for both established players and new entrants due to the growing demand in many sectors such as earth observation and surveillance & security. The Europe & CIS small satellite market can be divided into different segments such as mini satellites with a total mass ranging from 201 kg to 600 kg; micro satellites with a mass ranging from 11 kg to 200 kg; nano satellites with a mass range from 1.1 kg to 10 kg; Pico satellite, and Femto satellite among others. Furthermore, in IoT and communications applications, the payload of asset tracking projects needs a device able to collect the information transmitted from the earth, store it and transmit it back to earth stations. Small satellites are the perfect solution to ensure a stable and precise service with complete coverage anywhere on earth. The major practical applications of small satellites are aircraft tracking and fleet management, logistics ship tracking, communication in-orbit demonstration, and disaster management. Therefore, the scope of the Europe & CIS small satellite market increases as technology advances.

Europe & CIS Small Satellite Market Overview

A small satellite, miniaturized satellite, or smallsat is a satellite of low mass and size, usually under 1,200 kg (2,600 lb). While all such satellites can be referred to as small, different classifications are used to categorize them based on mass. Satellites can be built small to reduce the large economic cost of launch vehicles and the costs associated with construction. Furthermore, the nanosatellite and microsatellite segments of the satellite launch industry have been growing rapidly in recent years. Development activity in the 1–50 kg (2.2–110.2 lb) range has been significantly exceeding that in the 50–100 kg (110–220 lb) range. With continued advances in the miniaturization and capability increase of electronic technology and the use of satellite constellations, nanosatellites are increasingly capable of performing commercial missions that previously required microsatellites. Additionally, modernization of the existing tracking system and uninterrupted surveillance is expected to drive the Europe & CIS small satellite market during the forecast period.

Increasing Diversity in Applications of Small Satellites

The Europe & CIS region is one of the major small satellite markets in the world. The rapid escalation of the production and launch of small satellites has revolutionized space. Small satellites usually operate in low orbits (LEO). The current technology makes it possible to have the latest-generation cameras for capturing high-resolution images. These tools with proper dimensions fit perfectly to the size of small satellites. Additionally, the Internet of Things (IoT), machine-to-machine communication (M2M), and Internet access have become some of the most common small satellite applications. Furthermore, space has become an ideal solution to improve the efficiency of existing terrestrial communication networks, thereby driving  the market for small satellites in the Europe & CIS region. Also, the development of new lighter and stronger material systems has accelerated the usage of small satellites in recent years, leading to rapid growth of the Europe & CIS small satellite market. Therefore, due to the abovementioned developments, the Europe & CIS small satellite market is expected to grow substantially in the coming years.

Increasing space sustainability and space traffic management

The major challenge in the Europe & CIS small satellite market is to maintain space traffic management, which include the growing number of satellites and space debris, limited resources for tracking and monitoring, international coordination, and the need for clear regulations and guidelines. Multiple companies are running assembly lines for high-volume small satellite production and scaling up production to support this high demand. With the increasing volume of small satellites in space activities, many companies are collaborating to manage the space traffic and space debris. Thus, the Europe & CIS small satellite market is expected to witness slower growth during the forecast period.

Developing Technology and Popularity of Small Satellites

Traditionally large satellites are manufactured to the highest quality standards, with an expectation that a large satellite launched into the Geostationary orbit (GEO) will remain operational for around 30 years. Furthermore, small satellites are launched into the lower low earth orbit (LEO), with an expectation that they will remain functional for about 3-4 years. Technology advancement, majorly in the miniaturization of electronic components and the use of thermal management adhesives in small satellite sector, has boosted the demand for small satellites in recent years. Thermal management adhesives are a critical component in the small satellite sector. With the miniaturization of electronic components and higher power output comes a substantial increase in heat generation. This heat must be managed through thermal management adhesives to avoid damaging the electronics on circuit boards. This increases the investment in research and development of small satellites making it more durable and affordable. Moreover, the rising demand for smart seating, the Europe & CIS small satellite market is expected to witness growth in the coming years.

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Recent Development

• In 2023, the EPICHyPer-1, an American Astronautical Council (AAC) Clyde Space View (Clyde) 6U satellite, was launched on a successful mission to the European Space Agency (ESA) in Space.
• Additionally in 2023, AAC Clyde Space received an order to install reaction wheels on a series of small satellites, which will be subject to engineering and flight model testing as well as qualification testing. Reaction wheels are a key component of spacecraft attitude control, providing high point accuracy and allowing for the rotation of spacecraft to maintain payloads in the appropriate orientation.
• EnduroSat has raised USD 10 million Series A funding round in 2023, which was led by the European Investment Fund (CEECAT Capital) and focused on the fast-growing markets of Central and Eastern European (CEE) space market.
• NanoAvionics, received an order from 5G Telecoms Operator OQ Technology in 2023, which will add three additional satellites to its existing constellation. This will make OQ Technology's existing constellation into the world's largest 5G Network and Internet of Things satellite operator.

Company Insights

• The European Defence Fund (EDF) has awarded a contract to AAC Clyde Space for the development of a satellite weighing less than 100 kg for the purpose of space situational awareness.
• AAC Clyde Space's Starbuck power system has received orders for Sirius computers avionics, and other satellite components in 2023, with a total order value of SEK 20.1 million (1.8 USD million).
• In 2023, EnduroSat reported the successful launch of two of their satellites (Taifa-1 and GroundBreaker).
• In 2023, NanoAvionics announced that six of its manufactured satellites had been successfully launched by SpaceX’s Transporter-8 mission.

Europe & CIS Small Satellite Market Opportunities

The demand for small satellites is anticipated to increase as the technology advances, offering up new market opportunities for specialized service providers as well as emerging new players to establish new market area and services. In the European region, there are many chances for growth and development of the industry. Small satellites are expected to have almost same capacity such as bigger satellites in terms of applications but with less mass and size. The research in science and engineering fields have developed new materials and advanced technologies. Considering the rising demand for high-end and compact satellites with advanced features and affordable prices has the potential to grow at higher rate which results in driving the growth of the Europe & CIS small satellite market. This offers opportunity for satellite manufacturing companies to contribute their expertise and collaborate with other space manufacturers to expand their market share.

Company Profiles

Some of the major players which are leading in Europe & CIS Small Satellite Market are Thales Alenia Space, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd., GomSpace Group AB, EnduroSat, AAC Clyde Space, Innovative Solutions in Space BV, NEXEYA, NanoAvionics, OHB Italia SpA, and G.A.U.S.S. Srl.

Market Segmentation

The Europe & CIS small satellite market is segmented into satellite type, end user, application, and country. On the basis of satellite type, the market is segmented into nanosatellite, microsatellite, minisatellite, and others. Based on end user, it is further segmented into civil, defense, and commercial. Furthermore, on the basis of application, it is segmented into earth observation & meteorology, communication, scientific research & exploration, surveillance & security, and mapping & navigation. Furthermore, the market is divided mainly into Germany, United Kingdom, France, Russia, Spain, Italy.

Report Scope:

In this report, the Europe & CIS small satellite market has been segmented into following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Europe & CIS Small Satellite Market, By Satellite Type:
• Nanosatellite
• Microsatellite
• Minisatellite
• Others
• Europe & CIS Small Satellite Market, By End User:
• Civil
• Defense
• Commercial
• Europe & CIS Small Satellite Market, By Application:
• Earth Observation & Meteorology
• Communication
• Scientific Research & Exploration
• Surveillance & Security
• Mapping & Navigation
• Europe & CIS Small Satellite Market, By Country:
• Germany
• United Kingdom
• France
• Russia
• Spain
• Italy
• Rest of Europe & CIS

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Europe & CIS small satellite market.

Available Customizations:

With the given market data, TechSci Research offers customizations according to a company’s specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

Company Information

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).