For many years, the space economy seemed far from most boardrooms, reserved only for government agencies and aerospace experts. However, the perception is now fundamentally changing. In a recent Wall Street Journal Deloitte Perspectives article featuring Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of SES, the case is made that satellites have become the foundation of modern enterprise operations and executives who ignore this run the risk of losing out on transformative opportunities.
The evidence is very clear. Satellite infrastructure is necessary for weather forecasting that helps retail inventory management, navigation systems for logistics fleets, and connectivity for remote operations. However, many leaders are still unaware of how much they rely on this vital system. As Al-Saleh said, “What was once invisible infrastructure is rapidly becoming a strategic imperative.” This shift requires executive attention rather than a purely technical implementation.
This evolution reflects a broader maturation of the space economy. Telecommunications and agriculture are two industries that are discovering real competitive advantages. Agricultural equipment manufacturers leverage MEO satellites for precision farming through real-time data analytics, in addition to using them to position machinery. Meanwhile, telecommunications companies have made space-based connectivity a core strategic initiative.
To ensure the mission-critical resilience, the “four or five 9s” uptime that operations require; forward-thinking providers are pursuing multi-orbit strategies rather than depending on a single orbit strategy.
What’s Next for Business Leaders
Specialized infrastructure is a fundamental business enabler for the space economy. Over the next five to ten years, opportunities will go beyond connectivity: markets spanning aerospace, IT infrastructure, and energy sectors will be created by data centers in space, lunar operations, and new industrial capabilities.
The question for CEOs is no longer how space will affect their business, but whether they will strategically position their companies to take advantage of this shift now.
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