The Orbiter: The Space Business is Everywhere

The past few years have seen a surge in space and satellite activity from corners of the world rarely focused in industry coverage. But this isn’t just expansion. It’s transformation. The business of space is no longer defined by a few vertical integrators and legacy launch corridors. It's being reshaped by regional markets, commercial infrastructure, local partnerships, and – most critically – by talent.

The articles assembled for this issue are proof points of market formation: how space businesses emerge, where they take root, and what conditions turn policy into platforms and vision into viable service.

This issue concludes a news aggregation and podcast series made possible by the support of ST Engineering iDirect. Over the past year, the series has explored how and where space business is evolving – in orbit, on the ground, and in between. We’re not just curious about where the space and satellite business is happening, but how it’s happening. For instance, in Canada, it’s emerging from a new approach to access and scalability. In Africa, we see a mix of public investment, commercial readiness, and the sheer persistence of early-stage entrepreneurs. In the Middle East, governments are actively building talent pipelines to support business competitiveness and regional autonomy. In Asia, market demand is forcing commercial players to adapt – and thrive – at scale. These aren’t case studies. They’re signals.

And they tell us something simple: space business emerges where local demand, infrastructure, and execution align – where services become viable, revenue-generating, and responsive to markets on the ground.

In this issue:

• The Space Business in Asia-Pacific: Insights from ST Engineering iDirect
• Strong Local Roots: The Backbone of the Global Space Industry - By Nobu Okada, Astroscale
• Asia's Ascending Influence in the Global Space Economy - By Lynette Tan, Space Faculty Private Limited
• The Strategic Role of Multi-Orbit Satellite Connectivity in the APAC Region - By Vagan Shakhgildian, Comtech
• Spaceport Nova Scotia: The Key to Unlocking Commercial Space is Canadian Launch - By Sarah McLean, Maritime Launch
• China's Commercial Space Sector: A New Era of Growth and Opportunity - By Roger (Fuhua) Ni, Zenith Law Firm
• From Vision to Orbit: Bahrain and the Middle East Shaping the Future of Space - By Eng. Aysha Alharam & Eng. Yaqoob Alqassab, Bahrain Space Agency
• The Space Business is in Africa! - By Ruth Okoh, Spaceboss Aerospace Consulting Ltd.
• Plus more!

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