SpaceWorks’ 2014 Nano/Microsatellite Market Assessment

Since 2008, SpaceWorks has actively monitored global nano/microsatellite activities, and annually publishes a summary update as a free service to the small satellite development and launch communities. SpaceWorks’ 2014 projection of the 1-50 kg satellite market reflects a significant increase from last year’s projection, with 2-3 times higher quantities of nano/microsatellites needing a launch from 2017 to 2020, driven largely by the advent and continued growth of commercial players.1 This paper presents detailed observations and projections for the nano/microsatellite market based on over 650 satellites with masses between 1 and 50 kilograms in development over the next three years (2014 to 2016). The data source for this assessment is a subset of the SpaceWorks Satellite Launch Demand Database (LDDB), an extensive collection of all known historical missions, announced future satellite projects, and estimated future commercial missions. Analysis of development trends by sector show that the civil sector (including academic) remains strong, and the commercial sector is growing significantly and will likely continue to make large contributions to the global nano/microsatellite market. Analysis of trends by purpose suggests that while Earth observation and remote sensing remain the most widely used applications in the near future, applications for nano/microsatellites are diversifying