Satellite Commercial-off-the-Shelf Components Market Size, Share, and COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Type (Hardware and Software), By Standard (Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3), By Payload (1 Kg , 100 Kg, 100 Kg, 500 Kg, and Above 500 Kg), and By Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle-East and Africa, and Latin America), and Regional Forecast, 2024-2032.

Satellite commercial-off-the-shelf components are the ones which are mass produced and customized according to the needs of any specific satellite. They are readily available in the aftermarket, and are mostly employed on LEO satellites.

Key Market Insights:

Commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) components are designed to cater to the needs of private firms launching their private constellations of satellites into the orbit, such as Starlink. Such constellations are designed to achieve one task, and all the satellites within this constellation consist of the same components for optimum operation. COTS components can be manufactured in such large quantities because these are not made in accordance to some specific directives required for satellites. These are made according to the OEMs own criteria’s, and the customer builds their products around these components.   

The market is driven by the increasing demand for low Earth orbit satellites. LEO satellites are mostly used for communication and Earth observation, both of which are gaining momentum in today’s world. LEO satellites, due to their low coverage, are deployed in constellations, which requires mass manufacturing of same components to be used in the same satellites.

A major market restraint are the qualifications a component must possess in order to be approved for manufacturing for satellites. Space regulatory bodies have laid down certain checks that every component must pass in order to be used on a satellite. This has resulted in a very small share of the overall COTS components actually being qualified for use and be feasible for mass production. 

Impact of COVID-19 on the Global Satellite Commercial-off-the-Shelf Components Market:

The world battled the COVID-19 disease for almost half a year. The pandemic led to major reduction in production in various industries, and severe supply-chain disruptions. Travel, cargo movement and other restrictions were imposed in many affected nations. The satellite COTS industry also faced the brunt of the pandemic. Since COTS components were mass manufactures on dedicated production lines, the supply-chain disruptions sharply decreased the production capacity. The period also saw decreasing demands for such components. Travel restrictions forced assembly lines to be shut down for a brief period of time, leading to huge financial losses. The pandemic, overall, had a negative impact on the growth of the satellite commercial-off-the-shelf components.

The global satellite commercial-off-the-shelf components market is segmented into four broad categories- by type, by standard, by payload, and by point of sale. Based on the type of component, the market is bifurcated into hardware and software. Based on the standard of reliability, the market is trifurcated into level 1, level 2, and level 3. Based on the payload, the market is divided into 1 Kg – 100 Kg, 100 Kg – 500 Kg, and above 500 Kg. Based on the region, the market is divided into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle-East and Africa and Latin America.

Key Insights:

The report will describe the following key insights:

• The report analyzes a detailed industry overview, including qualitative and quantitative information.


• The report analyzes an overview and forecast of the global satellite commercial-off-the-shelf components market based on various segments.


• The report also analyzes comprehensive PEST analysis for all four regions, i.e. North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle-East and Africa, and Latin America, after evaluating economic, social, political, and technological factors affecting the global satellite commercial-off-the-shelf components market in these regions.

Regional Analysis:

North America is the biggest contributor towards the growth of the market. The region witnesses a high demand for COTS components due to firms like Starlink and ViaSat in the region. Multiple big players, such as Honeywell International Inc. and Curtiss-Wright Corporation are present in the region, which boosts the research and development of the market.

Asia-Pacific is projected to grow fastest in the upcoming years. Growing demand for better connectivity and remote sensing applications is increasing the need for nanosats and small satellites, which use COTS components for production. Increasing investment by nations such as India, China, South Korea, and Japan into the space industry is favoring the emergence of new market players in the region. This is also beneficial for the research of the technology in the region.

Key Players Covered:

Some of the key players in the global satellite commercial-off-the-shelf components market include BAE Systems, Honeywell International Inc., Curtiss-Wright Corporation, Xilinx, Inc., Micropac Industries Inc., STMicroelectronics, Mercury Systems Inc., Cobham Limited, GSI Technology Inc., and Analog Devices Inc., among others.

Segmentation:

Key Industry Developments:

• In March 2023, astronomers from Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) have developed a new low-cost star sensor that can help Cubesats find their orientation in space. The new instrument, ‘Starberry Sense’, is built using commercially-off-the-shelf components, and can be used for Cubesats and other small satellite missions in the future.


• In July 2021, the European Space Agency’s (ESA) General Support Technology Programme (GSTP) developed OrbFIX, a low-cost, commercial-off-the-shelf based, precise point positioning, multi-constellation, multi-frequency GNSS receiver for micro and small satellites allowing for less than 10 cm positioning accuracy on a low Earth orbit.