Policymakers actively reassess regulatory frameworks for the space industry

In the course of last year, the space and satellite industry met some significant milestones, with a record-breaking number of orbital launches and successful maiden launches for a number of operators. There were also  historic firsts including the first commercial spacewalk and the first sample return from the far side of the Moon.

As activity and developments in the sector continue, governments and policymakers are actively reassessing the regulatory frameworks applicable to the space industry. In 2024, this led to several notable legal and regulatory changes within the space and satellite industry, including:

• developments to existing space law regimes, as well as a range of new national strategies and policies aimed at particular priorities in the sector;
• developments in relation to spectrum management, with a particular focus on proposals for addressing emerging satellite direct-to-device technologies; and
• a range of international engagements in the space sector, including bilateral agreements, collaborations and broader multilateral cooperation.

We provide a more detailed wrap up of some of the key developments from 2024 here.

Looking ahead

Several key trends can be expected to shape the space and satellite sector over the course of 2025. We highlight some of these below:

• In-flight connectivity: the satellite inflight connectivity (IFC) market has experienced significant expansion, primarily driven by commercial satellite and aircraft operators developing and deploying these services. As this market evolves, we anticipate increased regulatory scrutiny and potential coordination in relation to the frameworks regulating IFC;
• Launch market: the space launch market is projected to expand considerably in the coming year, with numerous new launch vehicles set to meet the rising demand for satellite deployment and national launch capabilities. This growth may lead to shifting market dynamics, with increased competition and diversity in launch service offerings;
• Satellite direct-to-device services: having been a focal point in 2024, direct-to-device (D2D) services look set to continue to be an important area to watch in 2025. With many operators developing D2D offerings, there are a range of ongoing dialogues at international and national forums aimed at updating the regulatory frameworks for these services; and
• Space sustainability: this has been a sector priority in recent years and we anticipate continued focus on sustainability initiatives, particularly as many countries and organisations have initiatives on foot (e.g. the UK’s regulatory sandbox for rendezvous and proximity operations, the development of Australia’s sustainability of space activities policy and ESA’s Zero Debris Charter).