The Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) commissioned the UK space launch market study to evaluate the economic potential of developing space launch capabilities in Scotland and the wider UK, support regional development by identifying opportunities for the Highlands and Islands to become a hub for spaceport infrastructure and launch services, and inform investment decisions by providing a detailed cost-benefit and market analysis of the small satellite launch sector.
Other useful resources providing market figures:
https://brycetech.com/reports/report-documents/Bryce_Launch_Sites_2025.pdf
https://brycetech.com/reports/report-documents/smallsats-2025/
Prerequisites:
• Identify the launches and related services to be evaluated
• Determine the evaluation framework and methodology
• Identify and engage with industry experts and other stakeholders to gather insights and validate market assumptions
Cost:
• Ballpark: USD 50K–250K
• Includes: literature review and baseline study, stakeholder consultations, expert advisory, report drafting and validation
Timeframe:
• Overall: 6–12 mo
• Phase: scoping (1–2 mo), consultation (2–4 mo), rafting (2–4 mo), Validation (1–2 mo)
Pros:
• Informed Decision-Making – Clarifies the most valuable approach (e.g., buying data, acquiring a satellite, or building in-house) and reduces the risk of suboptimal investments.
• Strategic Alignment – Ensures that access-to-space solutions align with long-term business or national security objectives, enhancing sector positioning.
• Stakeholder Buy-In – Provides evidence-based justification for executive or investor decisions and supports cross-functional collaboration.
• Cost Control – Identifies hidden costs, scalability issues, and dependencies before financial commitments are made.
• Capability Mapping – Highlights internal strengths and weaknesses, revealing opportunities for strategic partnerships.
Considerations:
• Time and Resource Intensive - Requires data gathering across technical, financial, and strategic domains. May delay decision-making if not well-scoped or supported
• Uncertainty in Assumptions - Relies on forecasts, vendor quotes, or incomplete market data that may change rapidly