Record in the space industry: $67.7 billion in investments attracted in six months

The global space industry demonstrated unprecedented financial growth in the first half of 2026. According to a report by the analytical firm Space Capital, total investments in the sector reached a record $67.7 billion. This figure is not only higher than last year's results but also exceeds the total capital recorded throughout the entire year of 2025. This is reported by Ixbt.com .

The satellite technology segment attracted $8.1 billion in just six months of this year, setting new annual highs in its history. The largest deal in this area was carried out by the Finnish company Iceye. This startup, an operator of radar satellites, secured $1.2 billion in funding. These funds will be directed toward expanding manufacturing to meet the growing demand from NATO countries and other major clients.

Artificial Intelligence and the infrastructure race

The largest share of investments went to the “infrastructure” category, which includes the design, launch, and operation of space vehicles. In the second quarter alone, companies in this sector managed to attract $20.7 billion. More than half of this amount is attributed to the Prometheus startup, founded by Jeff Bezos.

Prometheus specializes in developing AI models for automating engineering projects. Analysts note that the integration of space and AI is creating a new “Launch+” category. For instance, Blue Origin is working not only on launch vehicles but also on creating orbital data centers to address the shortage of computing power on Earth.

SpaceX and the new stage of the market

The SpaceX IPO in June became one of the most significant events in the space market. According to Space Capital's estimates, the public offering brought the company $85.7 billion. Currently, SpaceX's market valuation is estimated at nearly $1.8 trillion, making it the largest IPO in the history of venture-backed companies.

Overall, in the second quarter, the volume of exit deals for investors in space companies reached $90.4 billion. The successful IPO of HawkEye 360 in May also made a significant contribution to this. However, achieving success in the industry remains a complex process.

According to statistics, out of 722 infrastructure space companies that received initial funding since 2009, only 19 have reached advanced stages of development (Series E rounds). Today, the main “bottlenecks” in raising capital have shifted to the late stages of company growth, specifically between Series D and E rounds.