NGSO Shift: Defense Satcom Revenues to Hit $22.6B by 2035
A new Novaspace report indicates a massive pivot toward non-geostationary orbit constellations, with global military demand for satellite bandwidth expected to surpass 7.5 Tbps within the next decade.
# The NGSO Pivot: Securing the High Ground
According to a report by SpaceNews detailing findings from Novaspace’s Satellite Communications for Defense and Security, the commercial defense satcom market is undergoing a structural transformation. By 2035, service revenues in this sector are projected to exceed $22.6 billion, driven by an urgent military shift toward multi-orbit resilience.
The Rise of Distributed Architectures
Global defense demand is forecast to surpass 7.5 Tbps by 2035. This surge is fueled by the adoption of non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) constellations, which offer the low latency and high capacity required for modern situational awareness and mobile operations. NGSO service revenues alone are expected to reach $21.3 billion, representing a 34% compound annual growth rate (CAGR).
GEO’s Strategic Transition
While NGSO dominates the growth curve, geostationary (GEO) assets remain tactically relevant. Although GEO revenues are expected to decline from $2.3 billion in 2025 to $1.3 billion by 2035, total GEO capacity demand is anticipated to triple. This indicates that GEO will serve as a foundational layer in hybrid, multi-orbit networks designed to withstand jamming and kinetic threats.
Geopolitical Concentration
The market remains heavily weighted toward the two primary space powers. The United States is slated to retain its lead, accounting for over 50% of global demand and 48% of revenue. China follows, projected to capture approximately 30% of the market share. As Santiago Perez of Novaspace notes, this represents a fundamental evolution where multi-orbit connectivity becomes the mandatory baseline for modern defense procurement and strategic planning.