NSR’s newly released Space Traffic Study, 2nd Edition report finds that commercialization of more segments of the space value-chain is driving a rapid increase in traffic volumes.
Although markets, such as Earth Observation (EO) or Space Tourism, still only account for 5% of the cumulative data volumes between 2021 and 2031, cloud connectivity and increased investments to downlink data ‘from space’ are paying off in total data volumes.
“Data from space is an increasingly important and recognized part of our lives here on Earth,” said Research Director, Brad Grady. “As current events highlight, space-based data gives us an unprecedented understanding of the world around us.”
Launches to space (Satellites or Humans) are nearly commonplace, and more corners of the world are gaining internet access through space-based connectivity from GEO/MEO/LEO.
Growing more than 60 exabytes of cumulative traffic volumes compared to NSR’s first edition study, challenges in GEO offset near-term growth in Applications and Infrastructure. Although growth favors LEO/MEO satellite connectivity, GEO will remain as the largest source of traffic volumes from 2021 to 2031.
While the difference between these competing orbits continues to shrink, highly affordable terminals and other LEO setbacks cannot offset the inertia behind GEO connectivity plays. A migration from video to data and GEO closer to Earth is all underway in the connectivity market which accounts for 95% of cumulative data volumes.
Overall, signs are starting to show that things other than connectivity are transforming the space sector. While satellite communications is ‘the use-case’ fueling space data traffic volumes, there are new and growing markets that provide greenfield opportunities for established and emerging players.
“Although government budgets still have an outsized influence on the space industry,” said NSR Research Analyst, Hannah Currivan. “The growing commercialization of space travel, EO and internet connectivity drives growth. Overall, it is still data transmitted through space which drives market dynamics.”
Bottom Line – Cloud connectivity, commercialization, and ‘more data from more places’ – are the key ingredients for space data traffic growth through 2031.