Space industry statistics
Live figures from the Space Atlas dataset · updated
Space Atlas maps 1,635 space organisations in 102 countries. United States has the most (263, 16%), followed by Spain (134) and United Kingdom (111). In Europe, Spain leads with 134 organisations; Spain ranks #1 with 134.
There are 514 space startups (31% of all organisations). Their most common sector is satellites & spacecraft (186), and United States hosts the most (101). Of the 1,439 organisations with a known founding year, 686 (48%) were founded in 2015 or later.
Cite as: Space Atlas, “Space industry statistics”, https://spaceatlas.space/space-industry-statistics, accessed 2026-10-29. Figures cover verified organisations in the Atlas and grow as new regions are mapped.
Space organisations by country
| Country | Organisations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 263 | 16% |
| Spain | 134 | 8% |
| United Kingdom | 111 | 7% |
| France | 110 | 7% |
| Germany | 87 | 5% |
| Australia | 82 | 5% |
| Italy | 64 | 4% |
| China | 62 | 4% |
| Japan | 50 | 3% |
| Netherlands | 45 | 3% |
| Canada | 36 | 2% |
| India | 36 | 2% |
| Switzerland | 32 | 2% |
| Belgium | 27 | 2% |
| Austria | 23 | 1% |
| Norway | 23 | 1% |
| Denmark | 21 | 1% |
| South Korea | 21 | 1% |
| Luxembourg | 20 | 1% |
| Sweden | 20 | 1% |
| South Africa | 19 | 1% |
| Poland | 18 | 1% |
| Finland | 17 | 1% |
| Brazil | 16 | 1% |
| Greece | 16 | 1% |
By continent
| Continent | Organisations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Europe | 864 | 53% |
| Americas | 350 | 21% |
| Asia | 259 | 16% |
| Oceania | 90 | 6% |
| Africa | 72 | 4% |
By sector, and the leading country in each
An organisation can work in up to three sectors, so sector totals add up to more than 1,635.
By type of organisation
| Type | Organisations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Private space companies | 543 | 33% |
| Space startups | 514 | 31% |
| Space research institutes | 137 | 8% |
| Space agencies and government bodies | 129 | 8% |
| Universities and academic space groups | 87 | 5% |
| Space industry associations and clusters | 80 | 5% |
| Space non-profits and societies | 70 | 4% |
| Space media and publications | 22 | 1% |
| Space incubators and accelerators | 22 | 1% |
| Spaceports and launch sites | 19 | 1% |
| Space testing facilities | 8 | 0% |
| Space advocacy organisations | 4 | 0% |
Space startups
| Sector | Startups |
|---|---|
| Satellites & Spacecraft | 186 |
| Software & Data Analytics | 145 |
| Launch Vehicles & Propulsion | 130 |
| Earth Observation & Remote Sensing | 113 |
| Avionics & Components | 101 |
| Communications & Connectivity | 80 |
| Manufacturing & Materials | 80 |
| In-Orbit Services & Sustainability | 75 |
| Ground Systems & Infrastructure | 49 |
| Space Resources & Exploration | 32 |
| Human Spaceflight & Life Support | 22 |
| Robotics & Automation | 17 |
| Navigation & Positioning | 12 |
| Community, Education & Networks | 7 |
| Consulting, Advisory & Assurance | 4 |
| Analog Missions & Simulations | 2 |
| Legal, Policy & Regulatory | 2 |
| Finance, Insurance & Investment | 2 |
| Media, Marketing & Communications | 2 |
| Country | Startups |
|---|---|
| United States | 101 |
| United Kingdom | 46 |
| Australia | 39 |
| Spain | 37 |
| France | 32 |
| Germany | 29 |
| India | 25 |
| China | 22 |
| Japan | 20 |
| Italy | 18 |
When were they founded?
| Decade | Organisations founded |
|---|---|
| 1810s | 1 |
| 1820s | 1 |
| 1880s | 1 |
| 1890s | 1 |
| 1900s | 3 |
| 1910s | 4 |
| 1920s | 4 |
| 1930s | 8 |
| 1940s | 15 |
| 1950s | 25 |
| 1960s | 37 |
| 1970s | 41 |
| 1980s | 88 |
| 1990s | 138 |
| 2000s | 209 |
| 2010s | 580 |
| 2020s | 283 |
Based on the 1,439 organisations with a known founding year.