Publications in: Space
The Economic Impact of a Loss of Satellite Communications
| Published: | 30 April, 2026 |
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Satellite communications (satcom) is a critical yet often invisible enabler of modern life. They support governments, businesses, and individuals, particularly in areas where terrestrial networks are limited or unavailable. A sudden loss of satcom would lead to widespread disruption across essential services, including air travel, maritime logistics and emergency response. The economic impact of such […]
The New Economics of GEO: What Happens when Orbital Slots Are No Longer Scarce?
| Published: | 18 March, 2026 |
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Geostationary satellites have long been the backbone of the satellite communications industry, but structural changes in technology and demand are challenging this model. As LEO constellations achieve dominance and traditional GEO revenue streams decline, the geostationary arc may gradually shift from scarcity to unprecedented abundance. Farooq Sabri explores how this emerging surplus of orbital slots could reshape the economics of GEO and create new opportunities for both operators and new entrants.
A Crisis That Runs on Satellites: Maritime’s Dependence on Satellite Communications
| Published: | 26 March, 2026 |
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The ongoing war between Iran, the United States and Israel has caused severe disruptions to global shipping, as the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical chokepoint for energy supplies, is effectively closed for Western-aligned vessels. As a result, one invisible layer of space-based infrastructure has moved to the centre of the crisis: satellite communications, […]
Top Trends in Space, 2026
| Published: | 13 January, 2026 |
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London Economics’ Space Team outlines the major space industry trends to watch this year, including Amazon LEO, SpaceX IPO prospects, D2D delivery, lunar exploration, and European programmes.
Evaluating the Economic Benefits of Spectrum Sharing in Great Britain
| Published: | 10 July, 2025 |
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About the study London Economics has developed a new economic framework to assess the benefits of spectrum sharing between mobile networks and Wi-Fi services in the Upper 6 GHz across Great Britain for the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). This study was part of DSIT’s regulatory ‘Spectrum Sandboxes’ initiative to support innovative […]
Size and Health of the UK Space Industry 2024
| Published: | 15 July, 2025 |
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Since its inception in 1992 by the British National Space Centre (BNSC), the Size and Health of the UK Space Industry report series has acted as the single most important source of data that delivers statistics and analysis on the performance, vitality, and challenges faced by UK organisations operating in the space sector. Now implemented […]
Disruptive Launch and the Shift from a Mass to a Cost Paradigm in Satellite Communications
| Published: | 13 November, 2024 |
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Launch has been one of the space industry’s fundamental constraints, imposing limitations on the size, mass, cost, and capabilities of spacecraft and the payloads they carry. This has served to restrict satellite communications (satcoms) to a small niche within a significantly larger telecommunications ecosystem. The arrival of “Super Heavy” Lift Launch Vehicles (SHLVs) offer a […]
To Launch, or Not to Launch? A Model of Space Debris and Satellite Operator Decision Making
| Published: | 19 November, 2024 |
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In this paper, presented at the 75th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Milan , 14-18 October 2024, we develop a dynamic economic model that considers the choice of multiple satellite operators on whether to develop and launch a satellite. This choice is dependent on the risk of collision, which is modelled as a function of […]
Size & Health 2024 Survey: UKSA CEO Call to Action Letter
| Published: | 22 October, 2024 |
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CALL TO ACTION – Please participate in the ‘Size & Health of the UK Space Industry 2024’ Survey Dear colleague, I am writing to encourage you to participate in the 2024 survey, which we are launching today. Comprehensive outputs from the Size & Health research are important for UKSA and DSIT to make evidence-based decisions […]
Size and Health 2024: Data Preparation List
| Published: | 22 October, 2024 |
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Years 2021/22 (only a select few questions request this year) 2022/23 2023/24 (if actual data is unavailable, please estimate/forecast) Data Categories The following data will assist in responding to the survey, but if data are not available, please provide approximations. Income from UK space-related activities, with breakdowns by: Customer region (UK, Europe, Northern America etc.) […]