10 Tech Trends That Will Impact the Space and Satellite Industry in 2026

The past year was marked by eye-catching spectrum sales amid the ramp-up of direct-to-device (D2D), mega-mergers as Europe looks to secure its future in space leadership, and increased adoption of AI technologies for on-orbit operations and network management.

To mark the end of 2025, Via Satellite asked industry leaders to weigh in on the 10 tech trends set to impact the space and satellite industry in 2026. We heard from experts across commercial, military, investment, and regulatory — here’s what they had to say.

New Layers to the Satcom-Telco Convergence

The convergence of the satellite and telecommunication worlds has been underway for a number of years, but reached new levels of integration in 2025 with major carriers T-Mobile and Verizon offering direct-to-device services, as well as Apple’s offering.

“It's an exciting time to be in our world,” says Julie Kearney, who served as the first chief of the FCC’s Space Bureau and is now a partner with DLA Piper and co-chair of its Space Exploration and Innovation Practice. “If you started in terrestrial — you're now in the space community. If you started in space — you are converging with your colleagues on the ground.”

Kearney points to the FCC’s supplemental coverage from space (SCS) framework adopted in 2024 that is now influencing other regulatory frameworks around the world. Canada has issued a similar regulatory framework, and countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia are working on frameworks as well.

She compares the rollout of D2D services to backup cameras on cars, which started out as a high-tech feature, then became a consumer expectation, and are now a must-have feature for safety. She sees the variety of D2D options from providers and devices as a positive sign for the burgeoning market.

“Consumers love choice, and the market is working in a way that is giving consumers different options,” Kearney says. “Optionality is really important.”

This convergence is also reaching satellite ground systems, says Cynthia Harty, senior vice president of Corporate Strategy for ST Engineering iDirect, adding that upcoming releases of 3GPP standards will accommodate satcom more efficiently than current releases, in terms of broadband.

Customers with large deployed bases of traditional satcom terminals are trying to plan how to migrate to a 5G non-terrestrial network (NTN) environment. “It’s just not when — but how,” Harty says. ST Engineering is working on hybrid roaming capabilities to bridge that gap.

“You can bring a traditional satcom terminal into the 5G core,” Harty says. “For new opportunities, you will be able to utilize a hybrid modem so you can take advantage of both traditional satcom waveforms and 5G NR [new radio]. We think facilitating roaming across those two environments will become the biggest game-changer starting in 2026.

The Super-Trend of AI Applications

AI is likely the biggest talking point across all industries over the past year, raising questions about an AI investment bubble and whether AI will eliminate entire categories of jobs. Experts interviewed for this story are optimistic and say AI is changing how satellites are operated in space and how networks are managed on the ground.

Harty says AI is playing a large role in the movement toward autonomous networks to accommodate network beam-switching. She gives the example of service providers that may use multiple satellite vendors to fulfill their service level agreements, and AI is used to make decisions about switching.

“We can provide lots of information about different anomalies that we detect in the network. We can tell you why they occurred. We can even make recommendations on how you correct for those anomalies. But whether or not our customers in 2026 are willing to let the system automatically make those changes is a TBD. I think it's going to take the industry a little bit longer to get comfortable with that completely autonomous network,” Harty says.

In the geospatial arena, AI is influencing the adoption of multi-domain intelligence, says Susanne Hake, executive vice president and general manager for U.S. Government at Vantor, recently rebranded from Maxar Intelligence. She says AI is transforming satellites from data collectors into providers of real-time, actionable intelligence.

“Advances in technology now make real-time fusion of multi-source data a reality,” Hake says.

“Governments and commercial users are increasingly expecting automated workflows that include real-time insights and anomaly detection rather than raw imagery. The expectation has become clear: satellites must not only observe but also interpret.”

In the next year, Hake expects to see significant advances in automation, predictive analytics, and broader adoption of AI-driven geospatial intelligence platforms for autonomous systems and defense operations. She expects to see new partnerships and joint ventures that bring together sensors, analytics, and delivery platforms.

There’s also enormous potential for AI to impact engineering requirements, says S. Sita Sonty, a partner and managing director in the AlixPartners AD&A Americas Group. She sees an opportunity for a domain-specific language model for space to aggregate systems engineering requirements across the space industry and help companies develop systems engineering requirements more efficiently.

“Domain-specific language models are the next layer for AI to speed up processes for an industry,” Sonty says. “For space, codifying systems engineering requirements enables faster development of them and faster development of task flows to them. It sounds boring — but it's going to save millions of dollars for companies.”

A More Maneuverable Future

This year, Space Force General Michael Guetlein detailed China practicing “dogfighting” in space — demonstrating maneuvering capabilities with satellites.

“I think the fact that China significantly demoed it this year has to really make us focus on that,” says retired Lt. Gen. John Shaw, who served as the deputy commander of U.S. Space Command.

In his time in the Space Force, Shaw championed industry to develop maneuverability capabilities in order to enable dynamic space operations. He is now a board member for multiple commercial space companies, including SES and Stoke Space. He points to momentum for in-space maneuvering: that the Space Force is sponsoring refueling demonstrations; indications that the RG-XX program will mandate on-orbit refueling; and the urgency to validate refueling for Moon missions.

“It's about combat capability — how do I get more maneuverability than my adversary? We don't have aerial refueling for our Air Force today because it's a cheaper way to fly airplanes. It's not. It gets us better combat capability,” Shaw says. “And then the civil piece — it's hard to close the equation for a sustained human presence on the Moon without a refueling capability.’

Kearney of DLA Piper adds that operational playbooks are maturing for companies focusing on in-orbit docking and relocation. She also highlights the sustainability angle and refueling as an enabler for the future space economy.

“We see companies that are doing amazing research and scientific and technical feats to ensure that we're able to keep using satellites,” Kearney says. “You bring your car to the mechanic to get it fixed — this is the kind of model that we want to achieve with satellites. Let's keep them up there as long as we possibly can.”

Sovereign Access, Sovereign Data

Sovereign space has been one of the largest trends in the space industry in 2025 and it will continue to drive demand in 2026.

Shaw sees it as an opportunity for more global cooperation. “I think it's healthy for all nations to want their own kind of capabilities to meet their own interests. That raises the field for everybody,” he says. “This is a great opportunity to help us grow the space economy — if done properly.”

Beyond ownership and access to assets in space, Sonty sees data as a key driver of the sovereign trend. She cites geopatriation as a key trend for 2026, which is moving data and applications to a sovereign cloud system.

“Geopatriation is basically data security on steroids,” Sonty says. “It’s a trend for not only increased international sovereign constellation proliferation, but it's also driving the importance of data security as part of the full offering, rather than outsourcing that to a host of cybersecurity subcontractors. Having [data security] as a primary element of the solution is becoming very important.”

Rachelle Radpour, chief engineer of Boeing’s Space Communications Programs, sees upside in the sovereign trend for the potential to increase capabilities, but has concerns about policies that limit competition.

“This is kind of a double-edged sword. It's going to grow capabilities, it's going to increase the number of available suppliers,” Radpour says. “But there's also a trend we’re watching with the laws that are aimed at limiting spending to domestic content. That could ultimately hurt the overall competitiveness and supply chain flexibility.”

A Critical Juncture for Europe

While sovereign space is a global trend, multiple European nations are at a critical juncture in terms of investment in space capabilities — with the flagship IRIS² program, and nations like Germany and France planning billions of dollars in investment in space capabilities for defense.

“That is no small thing for the industry to see this separate sovereign demand signal that could open up some interesting opportunities, some competition, and some international collaboration, on the commercial front,” Shaw says of France and Germany’s recent announcements.

For Jean-Francois Morizur, CEO and founder of French startup Cailabs, which builds optical ground stations, he’s watching to gauge the specific intent of the national investments. “There's one big question about the German investment in space — is it going to be to build a space capability, or is it going to be to build a space industry?” he asks.

Morizur sees a difference between investing in capabilities, which then filters down to stimulate the industry, versus funding jobs in an area. On IRIS², he sees the goal of a specific constellation as a positive indicator. “The European Union has said it's to provide a service, so that's good. They made it very clear that they want to provide that service,” he adds.

The European space industry will also be impacted by the pending space merger between major primes Airbus, Leonardo, and Thales. The coming two to three years of planning and initial operations are crucial, Pravin Pradeep, senior consultant for Aerospace, Defense, & Space with Frost & Sullivan, recently told Via Satellite.

“Ultimately, the JV represents both a warning and a wager: a warning that the current model is unsustainable, and a wager that consolidation can yield both competitiveness and sovereignty. Whether that bet pays off depends on how fast and how boldly Europe moves next,” Pradeep said.

NEI: A New View in Space Domain Awareness

Over the past year we’ve seen eye-catching photos of satellites — snapped by other satellites. It’s called non-Earth imaging (NEI), and there’s increased interest in the capability, with multiple commercial imagery companies now offering it.

Vantor exec Hake calls it “eyes in space,” giving a view where radar and traditional sensors can’t provide the full picture. It’s used to gauge the health of satellites, understand the capabilities of other objects in orbit, detect suspicious behavior, and reduce collision risk.

“In many ways, NEI is emerging as a ‘neighborhood watch’ in space, strengthening deterrence in a world where proximity operations, maneuvering, and modifications to spacecraft are becoming more common,” Hake says.

It can also supply information during the collision avoidance gap, or COLA gap, confirming a satellites position in the time after launch, and also bring capabilities to the Golden Dome with persistent monitoring of space objects.

“NEI is moving from a supporting capability to a strategic requirement that will define how the industry maintains safety, accountability, and stability in space,” Hake says. “We expect broader adoption of NEI across government, allied, and commercial operators, especially as they seek more reliable ways to maintain custody of high-interest objects and reduce ambiguity in space.”

A New Leader at the Helm of NASA

Billionaire and entrepreneur Jared Isaacman is back in the confirmation process to become the next NASA administrator after President Trump re-nominated him after dropping the nomination earlier this year.

Tom Mueller, founder and CEO of Impulse Space who was the first employee of SpaceX and designed the Merlin engine, sees Isaacman’s re-nomination as a positive sign with implications for NASA’s Moon programs.

“One of the trends that's going to continue is more increased collaboration between the government and commercial space, especially with Isaacman’s renomination. One of the things we hope for at Impulse Space is more COTS-like programs for lunar delivery,” Mueller said, pointing to NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program. “I've always been a big Moon proponent. One of the things I wanted to do when I started Impulse was make access to the Moon much, much easier.”

Isaacman’s confirmation could lead to large shifts at NASA, notes Mary Guenther, head of Space Policy at the Progressive Policy Institute, pointing to the ‘Project Athena’ leaked document that Isaacman put together detailing his vision for NASA.

“There may be some shifts, given things that have transpired, but it'll be really interesting to see his impact on the agency as the next senior executive who has been very clear that he has big plans for shifting things,” Guenther says. “It's an ambitious agenda with a lot of things that are really interesting and a lot of things that people may have some open questions [about] in terms of how they're implemented.”

If Isaacman is confirmed, he will take the helm of a smaller staff after layoffs and early retirements this year. The agency will have to contend with fear in the federal workforce from the disruption of the past year that goes beyond just NASA, Guenther says.

“With that kind of fear in so many federal workers' hearts, [there’s a question of] whether they're going to be able to be convinced to make such dramatic changes and believe that they'll be supported in taking more risk,” she says. “The federal government has probably needed to take more risk for some time — but when you're taking more risk, you need to do it in a holistic and thoughtful way.”

Finally a Break in the Launch Bottleneck?

When Blue Origin landed the booster on just the second-ever New Glenn mission last month, it sent a jolt of excitement well beyond Blue Origin’s watch parties, potentially marking the start of a more competitive launch market.

“Iron sharpens iron,” Guenther says. She sees Blue Origin’s progress as a great sign for the launch market heading into 2026.

“We've seen satellite companies and payload folks really concerned about the lack of options depending on what kind of vehicle they need and what their requirements are,” Guenther says. “Hopefully this will be really exciting for all these incredible new companies and vehicles to come online and to create some additional competition, which is only a good thing.”

The launch market has been stalled on the cusp of change for a few years. United Launch Alliance has flown Vulcan but has so far not been able to meet projected cadence, and Rocket Lab pushed Neutron’s debut to 2026. Meanwhile, SpaceX’s Starship development program ran into a number of hurdles this year while deadlines for civil missions are looming.

Mueller has high expectations for Starship’s development in 2026, and expects the team to pass the heat shield issues and be able to re-fly the ships and begin deploying Starlink satellites. He expects Starship V3 to progress rapidly and advance to the orbital transfer propellant demonstration in 2026.

Looking at the launch market, Mueller notes the huge backlog of Amazon Leo launches that multiple providers need to work through over the next few years.

“I would like to see us come from just one provider flying a lot, to a bunch of providers flying a lot,” Mueller says. “I think that's where we're headed and that competition can continue to reduce the cost and open up the market.”

“I think we finally turned a corner and all of these other developments are starting to pay off,” he adds.

The Race to Ramp Up and Advance Manufacturing

The past year saw a major emphasis on ramping up satellite manufacturing. Barely a week went by without news of a factory or additional space as companies race to ramp up their manufacturing capabilities.

Disruption in the industry is driving innovation and competition, says Boeing’s Radpour, who talks about Boeing’s embrace of additive manufacturing methods to improve cost and schedule.

Radpour points to Boeing’s integrated payload array (IPA). “What used to be a six- to nine-month integration and test phase for larger payloads with higher capacities is now basically a printed circuit,” she says. “It’s a huge jump, huge capabilities for our customers. We have a hot production line for it.”

As satellite operators now deploy satellites across multiple orbits, manufacturers have moved toward configurable platforms, where common building blocks can be leveraged, no matter where the mission is headed.

“As a whole industry we’re trying to get to orbit faster, [with] fewer parts, fewer handoffs, and production and manufacturing flows designed to support goals for proliferated architectures,” Radpour says.

10. The Value of Spectrum

The past year showed the value of spectrum — particularly mobile satellite service (MSS) spectrum that can be used to provide D2D services. AST SpaceMobile agreed to pay around half a billion dollars for MSS spectrum to Ligado for spectrum rights, then SpaceX made an eye-catching $17 billion deal with EchoStar. In both cases, the operators are securing rights to their own spectrum versus sharing spectrum with mobile network operators (MNOs) to provide service.

It will be some time before SpaceX will be able to provide service with the spectrum it purchased, but the purchase is sending shockwaves through the industry. Globalstar’s share price recently skyrocketed on reports that the company was considering a sale, possibly to SpaceX.

Morizur of Cailabs is watching for how the spectrum sales influence other companies’ decisions about their own architectures. For Cailabs, which builds optical ground stations, it could push more players to adopt optical communications to get around spectrum availability, he says.

“I think the thing that resonates is it sends a signal to the industry that that's what spectrum goes for. There are some sitting on spectrum that say ‘I may want to sell it.’ Others are considering [their] plans involving a lot of spectrum and maybe it’s going to be challenging,” Morizur says. “What happens after that massive, massive sale — and what does that mean for the others?” VS