Revolution of Pricing in the Satellite Industry: From a Billion USD to 100K USD, A Game Changing Shift
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A Revolution Led by Cost Reduction and Private Investment Access
One of the most insightful talks I’ve heard recently came from Mark Boggett , CEO of Seraphim Space , during his keynote at the Master Investor Show in April. Boggett illustrated with data how pricing revolutions in both launch and satellite industries are reshaping the space economy.
In 1981, the Space Shuttle’s launch cost exceeded $100,000 per kilogram. Today, SpaceX ’s reusable Falcon 9 has brought that number below $1,000 per kilogram—and Elon Musk’s vision is to bring it into single digits.
Similarly, satellite manufacturing costs have dropped from nearly $1 billion to around $100,000, while the average satellite size has shrunk to something close to a shoebox. Together, these revolutions have made it possible to launch a new mission roughly every 34 hours.
The Real Leverage: Accessibility and Private Capital in Space
To truly understand this revolution, consider NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration ’s federal budget share: it dropped from 4.41% in 1966 to just 0.3–0.4% in 2024. This dramatic shift shows how private companies have become the new engine of growth in space.
In just half a century, while governments continued to pursue dominance in orbit, private investment scaled exponentially. Today, space technology investments deliver the perfect leverage — lower cost, faster innovation, and open access for private capital.
NATO ’s 5% Defense Spending Boost Ignites Space Investment
NATO ’s move to increase member defense budgets from 2% to 5% of GDP marks a new era for the space economy. With global defense spending exceeding $2 trillion annually, the opportunity for space infrastructure, satellite intelligence, and communication systems has never been larger.
The Ukraine–Russia war has transformed the definition of warfare, with mobility and connectivity at the core of modern defense. Secure, continuous, and superior satellite communication is now a decisive factor in every military doctrine.
Counter-UAS: The Next Frontier in Space-Driven Defense Tech
The ongoing conflicts have proved that Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) dominate modern battlefields. Naturally, the next major focus is Counter-UAS, and its backbone is satellite communication.Nations that master orbital communication—whether through public or private investment—will hold the upper hand in the conflicts of the future.
Leaders of the Week
Conclusion
Hakan KURT Laser Communications Tower Application Laser Communications Upgrade, 25gbs, 60-100km in atmo, variable targeting, compression capable. (Civilian use model) https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jeffblearning_existing-tech-upgrade-optimizing-laser-coms-activity-7371724555473637378-XBqE?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&rcm=ACoAAE6ZaXEBan17sp9sFzeDOT98weZVO8-yPFs Additional upgrades: “Raven’s Gaze” Expand to 9 sources/apertures. Change the sources to maximize ionization and multi-beam interference potential (at target, in system should stay harmonic). Run a second set of sources and apertures. Pulse across all 18. Increase the number of lenses from 12 to 18. Add an additional “focusing lens”: calibrate to desired distance, slots in, burns out while the next is prepping. That’s the “clip”. Support with mirrored drone swarms that shift from “school” dynamics to split second focusing surface as the laser hits. This provides indirect fire capabilities, including angular targeting over planetary curvature. They’ll also serve as defenses from similar attacks. With the parallel lasers and frequencies, it’s possible to use simultaneous advanced cryptography & data error to cause system overload. Black hats can expound.