To meet the space industry’s soaring demands, manufacturers of satellites, rockets, and other critical hardware need to focus on five priority areas.
The commercial space sector represents a tremendous opportunity for a diverse range of public and private sector organizations. Governments are looking to spur growth in space, and organizations such as NASA and the European Space Agency are leading the way in the commercialization of space. Incumbent space industry companies are taking advantage of new technologies that will give them a competitive edge here on Earth, while other businesses are seeking to leverage the benefits of space-based technologies. Meanwhile, there’s a new breed of companies built around satellites, spaceports, and orbit infrastructure. BCG is uniquely positioned to help clients across industries achieve their commercial space goals and explore new possibilities that may have once seemed impossible.
How We Support the Commercial Space Industry
The space economy is taking off, but that doesn’t mean players will have an easy time launching their business. We provide consulting to space industry leaders, and we work with governments, established companies, and new market entrants to unlock opportunities in space industry areas across the value chain—from strategy and infrastructure to operations and end-user services.
In today's new space age, our mission is to advance a responsible and sustainable space economy, generate deeper insights about our planet, and enable scientific discovery. BCG’s space sector consulting experts—which include former space executives, engineers, technologists, and manufacturing leaders—have the experience and insights required to help clients realize powerful opportunities in the space industry.
We assist clients with the commercialization of space by providing a wide variety of industry-leading services:
Commercialization of Space Activities
Our experts understand market dynamics and requirements and can help organizations overcome their challenges and realize their growth objectives. We help our clients develop value propositions and business cases for opportunities in space industry, and we help them prepare for execution with commercial space industry implementation plans.
Corporate Strategy
Our teams analyze the market landscape,
create strategic plans, and test and implement solutions. Together with clients, we establish the right market positioning to achieve goals as varied as launching pilots, deploying capital, and even building entire businesses.
Space Sector Acquisition Strategies
Our experts use market data to assess the economics of an
acquisition, build leverage, and set and achieve long-term targets. We proceed methodically, system by system, to determine the underlying tactics and right price points for success.
Operational and Cost Performance Solutions
We establish performance baselines, define target objectives, develop interventions, and test and implement solutions. Our experienced teams leverage industry-informed best practices and interventions to turn vision into reality for commercial space industry players.
Investment Strategies
We advise governments and companies on market dynamics and emerging investment trends in the space sector, and we support investment decisions in new space companies and space technologies.
Organizational Transformation
Our goal is always to ensure agreement and momentum on
transformation projects. Our teams align on purpose and mission, design an organization model, and build a rigorous project management office that can perform to deliver transformation objectives.
Digital Transformation
Our teams know how to scan an organization’s business models and processes to find opportunities for
digitization. We develop holistic strategies that optimize infrastructure and digitize priority enterprise processes, while engaging senior leadership throughout the transformation.
People Advantage Strategies
We bring deep expertise to addressing key human capital challenges, including strategic workforce planning,
talent management, and recruitment and retention. We help organizations compete in a market where a diverse and technically strong workforce is required for success.
Our Clients’ Success in the Space Sector
A national space organization wanted to improve
cost efficiency to support mission programs. BCG examined core spending areas, identifying the full cost of enterprise functions and providing insight into performance variance and opportunities, while also developing a tool that captures and maps actual costs. This effort improved cost tracking by 17% and allowed the agency to reduce risk by $4.5 million.
A spaceport with a well-established place in the launch market wanted to scale effectively to keep pace with competitors, seeking a threefold growth in launch infrastructure over ten years. BCG helped develop a pricing tool that effectively monetizes key assets and services that will support pricing negotiations. Using this tool has the potential to lift revenues sixfold per mission.
A new military space organization was tasked with standing up an organization structure within 15 months; the new organization sought to be leaner than its predecessor to enable efficiency and quick decision making. BCG helped deliver the full organization structure five months ahead of schedule, while eliminating about eight organizational layers from the previous organization model, with clearly defined roles for all billets.
A large satellite-manufacturing company was struggling to complete a multiyear effort to reduce its cost structure. To help the business get back on track, BCG’s experts established a project management office and enhanced governance processes. With a renewed focus on clear ownership, streamlined decision making, and creative troubleshooting, the manufacturer exceeded its original transformation goals by 12%.
BCG Announces Collaborations with NASA and USRA to Launch a GenAI Lab for Science and Engineering
Press Release
BCG Announces Collaborations with NASA and USRA to Launch a GenAI Lab for Science and Engineering
We are privileged to work with NASA’s Ames Research Center and the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) to launch a GenAI lab for science and engineering. Harnessing the talents of innovators with decades of experience advancing the state-of-the-art in AI, we are pioneering the critical research and development necessary to propel new Earth science technologies forward—and take our global impact to new heights.
Explore Our Insights on the Commercial Space Industry
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Low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites are evolving rapidly, with new applications and huge market potential. Governments need the right regulatory framework to capitalize.
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Private sector players now launch rockets, operate satellites, and offer other services once handled exclusively by governments. Space agencies need a plan to work with this growing industry.
Strip Malls in Outer Space
What does the commercialization of low-Earth orbit mean for businesses and communities on earth?
Meet Our Space Sector Consulting Team
Our space sector consulting team takes a comprehensive, cross-functional approach to help our clients generate the greatest amount of value in space—whether or not they see themselves as space industry companies. Our team includes experts from BCG’s core consulting practice, as well as
BCG X, to offer tailor-made solutions that address organizational, technical, and other challenges.
