Once the domain of science fiction, the space economy is now hurtling toward commercial reality. With satellite launches becoming routine, private crewed missions underway, and governments greenlighting lunar ambitions, investors are wondering: is 2025 the year the space economy takes off in earnest—or still just a speculative orbit?
Investment Landscape: From Satellites to Lunar Mining
The global space economy surpassed $540 billion USD in 2024, according to the Space Foundation, with commercial activities making up over 78% of that total. Key growth areas include:
- Satellite Internet (SpaceX’s Starlink, Amazon’s Project Kuiper)
- Launch Services (Rocket Lab, SpaceX, Blue Origin)
- Earth Observation and Data (Planet Labs, BlackSky)
- Space Tourism & Exploration (Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin)
Analysts at Morgan Stanley project the space economy could hit $1 trillion by 2040, though returns are heavily weighted toward long-term speculation.
Major Public Players & Stocks to Watch
Publicly traded companies tied to space include:
- Maxar Technologies – Geospatial data
- Virgin Galactic (SPCE) – Commercial space tourism
- Rocket Lab USA (RKLB) – Small satellite launches
- Northrop Grumman (NOC) – Defense & space systems
However, most “pure play” space firms remain volatile, cash-burning, or pre-revenue. SPCE, for instance, has fallen over 80% from its 2021 highs despite launching commercial flights.
Government Spending Fuels Demand
NASA’s Artemis program continues to pour billions into lunar return missions, with Artemis III slated for 2026. Meanwhile, Europe, China, and India have rapidly scaled their space ambitions. Canada’s own space sector, backed by CSA funding and partnerships with NASA, is also growing—particularly in robotics and satellite payloads.
Caution: High Orbit, High Risk
Despite the hype, experts warn that barriers remain:
- Long R&D timelines and unproven business models
- Expensive infrastructure buildout
- Lack of regulatory clarity in off-Earth mining and settlements
“Investors should look at the space economy like biotech: immense potential, but not for the faint of heart,” says Arjun Mehta, an analyst at Bank of Montreal.
The Bottom Line
The space economy is real—and expanding. But in 2025, few public companies offer low-risk exposure. Long-term investors may want to explore aerospace ETFs, or look to adjacent industries like telecom and defense that benefit from satellite and launch technologies.
Otherwise, space remains, for now, the final speculative frontier.
Marc has been involved in the Stock Market Media Industry for the last +5 years. After obtaining a college degree in engineering in France, he moved to Canada, where he created Money,eh?, a personal finance website.
