UK Space Economy Industry RTIC
Home > Space Economy
Real-Time Industrial Classifications

UK Space Economy

Discover the size and growth of the UK’s emerging Space Economy and uncover the companies boldly going where no man has gone before using real-time industrial data.

Download our Space Economy report


Liberation from SIC codes

Real-time data that keeps pace with the emerging economy

Fed up with outdated and unreliable data? Get to know the UK economy in real-time and analyse emerging sectors and innovative companies with the power of The Data City’s AI-powered platform.

Trusted by industry-leading policy makers, economists & institutions

What is the Space Economy?

The UK’s Space Economy is a fast-growing sector spanning manufacturing, operations, applications, and support services. Companies in this space drive innovation in satellite services, spacecraft production, governance, and research, contributing to the UK’s goal of capturing 10% of the global space market by 2030.

Developed with the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT), our Space Economy RTIC identifies companies across key verticals, from geospatial analytics to in-orbit services. This AI-driven classification provides a real-time view of the sector, helping businesses, investors, and policymakers stay ahead.

Complementing, not replacing, existing intelligence like the Size and Health of the UK Space Sector series and the UK Space Capabilities Catalogue (UKSCC), it offers fresh insights into emerging technologies and business models shaping the industry.

Space Economy summary

Discover real-time data and insights sourced directly from The Data City platform, driven by our innovative Real-Time Industrial Classifications (RTICs). Our RTICs harness the power of web data and machine learning, and are published with industry experts for precision and relevance.

Here are the key facts about the Space Economy sector. The sector has a turnover of £61.4bn currently, has received £2.2bn of investment and the sector is growing at -3.1% per year.

1,798
COMPANIES CONSIDERED
£61.4bn
TOTAL TURNOVER
138,310
TOTAL EMPLOYEES
£2.2bn
TOTAL INVESTMENT FUNDING
£3.0bn
TOTAL INNOVATE UK GRANT FUNDING
-3.1%
AVERAGE COMPANY GROWTH PER YEAR

Space Economy verticals

Our industry data goes deep. See the top verticals and specialisms making waves in the UK Space Economy industry today.

Our Space Economy RTIC is made up of 39 individual verticals. The top verticals in this sector include Space Ecosystem, and Mapping & Imaging. You can find out more about the verticals by downloading our RTIC report, or by signing up for a free trial of The Data City platform.

  • Sector Code Description Records
  • RTIC0098 Space Economy *New 1798 companies

    Companies in the Space ecosystem, including manufacturing, operations, applications, and support services. This RTIC, developed by The Data City and DSIT, explores innovative ways to identify space companies. It complements, rather than replaces, existing sector intelligence like the Size and Health of the UK Space Sector series and the UK Space Capabilities Catalogue (UKSCC).Given the diverse activities of space companies, it can be challenging to determine the exact proportion of their work in the vertical.

    Buy data
    • Space Economy: Communications & Connectivity

      Products which make use of communications to provide connectivity services in downstream markets.

      255 companies
    • Space Economy: Computer Vision Software

      .

      3 companies
    • Space Economy: Data Infrastructure

      Technologies involved in the storage and processing of satellite data after downlink.

      112 companies
    • Space Economy: Debris Removal

      .

      15 companies
    • Space Economy: Geospatial Analytics

      Analytics capabilities for optical imagery, radar imagery, and geolocation data.

      99 companies
    • Space Economy: Geospatial Platforms

      Platforms which involve software to process, analyse, and access geospatial data.

      92 companies
    • Space Economy: Ground Segment

      Technologies involved in the ground segment of data downlink including ground stations, services, and terminals.

      133 companies
    • Space Economy: High-Altitude Platforms

      Aerial platforms which operate in the atmosphere and stratosphere including balloons, airships, drones, and other UAVs.

      11 companies
    • Space Economy: In-Orbit Assembly

      .

      4 companies
    • Space Economy: In-Space R&D & Manufacturing

      Technologies which enable in-orbit activities including research and manufacturing in microgravity.

      51 companies
    • Space Economy: In-Space Robotics

      .

      9 companies
    • Space Economy: Launch Infrastructure

      Infrastructure which enables the operation of launch vehicles including launch pads, spaceports, and mission control facilities.

      25 companies
    • Space Economy: Launch Services

      Services which enable the design, testing, and operation of launching space missions.

      48 companies
    • Space Economy: Launch Vehicles

      Launch vehicles and sub-systems which include rockets, sub-orbital flight, and spaceplanes.

      61 companies
    • Space Economy: Mapping & Imaging

      Products which make use of satellite and aerial imagery to provide mapping or monitoring services in downstream markets.

      311 companies
    • Space Economy: Operations

      Logistics between manufacture, integration, and launch facilities.

      29 companies
    • Space Economy: Orbital Life Extension

      .

      6 companies
    • Space Economy: Orbital Refuelling

      .

      12 companies
    • Space Economy: Orbital Servicing

      .

      21 companies
    • Space Economy: Orbital Transfer

      .

      24 companies
    • Space Economy: Planetary & Asteroid Mining

      Technologies which enable the discovery and exploitation of space resources including asteroid mining.

      6 companies
    • Space Economy: Positioning, Navigation, & Timing

      Products which make use of satellite navigation to provide location services in downstream markets.

      206 companies
    • Space Economy: Robotic Systems

      .

      6 companies
    • Space Economy: Satellite Inspection

      .

      3 companies
    • Space Economy: Satellite Relay Systems

      Technologies involved in providing inter-satellite or satellite to ground communications for data downlink.

      59 companies
    • Space Economy: Satellite Testing

      .

      15 companies
    • Space Economy: Satellites – Earth Observation

      Satellites and satellite constellations which are operated to provide Earth observation imagery.

      36 companies
    • Space Economy: Satellites – Global Navigation

      Satellites and satellite constellations which are operated to provide global navigation services.

      35 companies
    • Space Economy: Satellites – Telecoms

      Satellites and satellite constellations which are operated to provide telecommunications and connectivity.

      88 companies
    • Space Economy: Security Software and Services

      Technologies involved in the security of satellite data including cybsersecurity software and cryptography.

      98 companies
    • Space Economy: Space Ecosystem

      Organisations which are involved in the space governance, research, and business ecosystems.

      350 companies
    • Space Economy: Space Engineering

      Equipment, facilities, and services which enable the engineering, manufacturing, and testing of space systems.

      284 companies
    • Space Economy: Space Exploration

      Technologies which enable human spaceflight activities for tourism, science, and exploration.

      25 companies
    • Space Economy: Space Hardware

      Hardware which includes satellites and space sub-systems for propulsion, thermal, mechanical, power, control, robotic, communications, and payloads.

      142 companies
    • Space Economy: Space Infrastructure

      Infrastructure which enables the operation and logistics of in-orbit systems including space stations and satellites.

      23 companies
    • Space Economy: Space Materials

      Materials which are involved in the manufacturing of space systems to provide structural, thermal, and propulsion properties.

      181 companies
    • Space Economy: Space Software

      Software which enables the design, manufacturing, and operation of space systems.

      155 companies
    • Space Economy: Space-Based Solar Power

      .

      23 companies
    • Space Economy: in-Space Hardware

      .

      125 companies

Space Economy growth

Based on a growth rate of -3.1%, we expect that this sector could be worth £67.4bn by 2026. Below you can see our forecast of the growth of the sector.

We help policy makers, economists & companies better understand emerging industries

The Data City is a UK-based data provider and SaaS platform focusing on emerging sectors, high growth companies, innovation clusters and investment.

Many of the UK’s leading government departments, local authorities, investment firms and policymakers, use The Data City to gain real-time insights that help drive better investment decisions.

 

“ If you want a more dynamic and innovative view of your economy, you should definitely consider The Data City
Professor Delma Dwight Director | Midlands Engine Observatory
“ Through this visual mapping project, Greater Manchester will be able to showcase our success in the digital sector
Andy Burnham | Mayor of Greater Manchester
“ If you care about technology driven economic growth, you should care about RTICs
Stian Westlake | CEO Royal Statistical Society

Get your free Space Economy report 👇

Dig deeper into the UK’s Space Economy with our free snapshot report.

Includes key insights on market size, investment, growth, location and much more. Data updated every month.

Market data for 400+ industries at your fingertips

At The Data City we use AI and real-time data to map emerging sectors and innovative companies.

Our company database of over 5 million active UK companies houses 400+ Real-Time Industrial Classifications (RTICs) built in partnership with leading experts.

Access market insights, sector trends, employee data, growth stats and investment information for the country’s fastest growing industries.

The Data City RTICs screenshot

Discover more with a Free Trial

Keen to dig a little deeper? Sign up for a free trial and get full access our real-time company and sector data.

Sign up for a free trial