Novaspace expects rapid growth in the defense space communications market, driven by the expansion of non-geostationary satellite constellations and the adoption of multi-orbit architectures. Commercial services revenue could exceed $22.6 billion by 2035, while global demand surpasses 7.5 terabits per second.
Novaspace expects revenue from commercial satellite services serving the defense and security sectors to exceed $22.6 billion by 2035, alongside a rise in global demand for defense satellite communications to more than 7.5 terabits per second. The Satellite Communications for Defense and Security, 2nd Edition report attributes this growth largely to the adoption of satellite constellations in non-geostationary orbits (NGSO).
Novaspace notes that defense organizations are placing increasing priority on mobility, situational awareness, and network resilience during disruptions. As a result, space communications are shifting from a supporting capability to a core component of modern military architectures, particularly for operations requiring secure and resilient connectivity.
Expansion of Multi-Orbit Communications
NGSO services revenue is expected to reach $21.3 billion in 2035, with a compound annual growth rate of 34%. According to Santiago Perez, senior director at Novaspace, distributed space communications architectures enhance military networks’ ability to withstand disruption, jamming, and kinetic attacks, while NGSO constellations provide the capacity, low latency, and resilience required for future operations.
The rise of NGSO does not mean the disappearance of the role of geostationary orbit (GEO) satellites. GEO services revenue is expected to decline from $2.3 billion in 2025 to $1.3 billion in 2035, but demand for GEO capacity is projected to triple. This indicates the continued importance of GEO within hybrid networks combining more than one orbit, rather than replacing it entirely.
The United States and China Lead Demand
The study expects the United States to remain the largest market for defense satellite communications through 2035, accounting for more than 50% of global demand and 48% of revenue. China follows with approximately 30% of global demand and revenue, reflecting the connection between these services and the military modernization programs of the two powers.
Why Does This News Matter?
The significance of these projections lies in the shift they outline in how military communications networks are designed: reliance is not moving toward a single orbit or a single provider, but toward a multi-orbit architecture intended to distribute risk and maintain connectivity in contested environments. In practice, this could affect decisions on purchasing space capabilities, network design, and defense operations planning over the next decade.
However, the figures provided are market forecasts from a Novaspace report and are not measurements of confirmed procurement orders. The material also does not detail the methodology used to calculate demand or the distribution of revenue between government programs and commercial services, which calls for interpreting the findings as an estimate of the market direction rather than a guarantee of actual spending levels.