Space sector eyes further investment growth in 2026 after record year

By Akash Sriram

Jan 19 (Reuters) - Global concern successful abstraction exertion is poised to ascent further successful 2026, propelled by authorities ​spending connected defense-linked outer systems and backstage assemblage bets connected ‌launch capacity, concern steadfast Seraphim Space said connected Monday.

Space infrastructure is being progressively viewed arsenic ‌a strategical nationalist priority, with countries competing for investments to unafraid a geopolitical advantage.

Investors expect the backing momentum to beryllium driven by spending connected sovereign outer and missile-defense systems, integration of AI into abstraction hardware and ⁠analytics, and the imaginable of ‌a SpaceX IPO, Seraphim Space said.

"A imaginable SpaceX IPO could enactment arsenic a almighty catalyst, further validating SpaceTech ‍as a mainstream plus people and opening a clearer way to IPOs for a increasing cohort of late-stage SpaceTech companies," said Lucas Bishop, concern expert astatine ​Seraphim Space.

Investments successful the assemblage deed grounds levels successful 2025, with ‌private concern increasing 48% to $12.4 billion, including $3.8 cardinal successful the last quarter, according to information from Seraphim Space.

Funding surpassed the erstwhile highest acceptable successful 2021 and marked a afloat betterment from the sector's 2022 downturn, outperforming the broader task superior market.

The U.S. dominated concern past twelvemonth with $7.3 ⁠billion, oregon astir 60% of planetary funding, ​driven by dense spending connected motorboat services ​and defense-related programs specified arsenic the Pentagon's Golden Dome initiative.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an enforcement bid successful December ‍designating abstraction arsenic a ⁠core nationalist information and economical priority, a determination investors expect to assistance backing for the sector.

The assemblage saw much humble maturation ⁠in Europe, portion investments successful Asia remained elevated, with China contributing astir $2 cardinal arsenic ‌it accelerated home motorboat and outer manufacturing.

(Reporting by Akash Sriram ‌in Bengaluru; Editing by Leroy Leo)