Case Study

Satellite technology for on-Earth applications

Unlocking space-based innovation to drive impact across five key terrestrial industry sectors

CamIn works with early adopters to identify new opportunities enabled by emerging technology.

Revenue:
$50 billion+
Employee headcount:
100,000+
Sponsored:
Chief transformation officer
%

of CamIn’s project team comprised of leading industry and technology experts

CamIn’s expert team

Our professional services client wanted to confirm competitive service opportunities in the global space economy sector over the next 10 years. CamIn identified 15 competitive service opportunities in the $110 billion space-related advisory market

Industry:
Professional Services
Revenue:
$50 billion+
Employee headcount:
100,000+
Sponsored by:
Chief transformation officer
$
160,000

For $160,000, we enabled the client to tap into a $110 billion market of space-related advisory
5
expert teams

5 external expert teams specialised in space-based solutions for governmental, public, and defence services
4
x faster

CamIn completed the work in 12 weeks, 4 times faster than the client’s internal team
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Our professional services client wanted to confirm competitive service opportunities in the global space economy sector over the next 10 years. CamIn identified 15 competitive service opportunities in the $110 billion space-related advisory market

Client’s problem

The client aimed to establish a dedicated space vertical to expand offerings using space-based assets, targeting 5 major on-earth sectors: government, energy & power, industrials, telecommunications, and life sciences. A credible go-to-market strategy was needed, grounded in emerging capabilities like satellite communications, Earth observation, and orbital data analytics. With the global space economy valued at $596 billion in 2024 and projected to reach $944 billion by 2033, the opportunity is significant. Exploring and validating these opportunities proved challenging, requiring deep expertise in space technologies, systems integration, and evolving commercial models well beyond the organisation’s existing domain knowledge.

CamIn’s solution

Key questions answered

  1. What are the client’s core strengths, weaknesses, and competitive capabilities?
  2. What are clear technology-push and market-pull on-earth use cases?
  3. Which opportunities over the next 5 years are a strategic fit, technically feasible, with opportunity from current and new clients?
  4. What competitive service opportunities can the client provide through credible technology partnerships?

Our Approach

11

11 interviews conducted with senior stakeholders to understand current customer demand for space-based solutions. This would provide a clear inwards perspective for potential quick-wins.

82

After confirming a total of 39 market challenges, 82 technology-push and market-pull use cases were identified where space-based technologies could provide clear value for on-earth applications.

45

After assessing technology feasibility, market desirability, and implementation viability, 45 high-impact use cases were shortlisted as a foundation for developing competitive products/services.

15

15 new services confirmed based on tech feasibility, customer interest, ease of implementation, and competitive positioning. Recommendations were relayed to all relevant stakeholders for development and launch.

Results and Impact

15 new products confirmed for development based on tech feasibility, customer interest, and ease of implementation.

The client developed 8 services from our recommendations and officially launched their Space vertical practice globally.

The client confirmed the success of the product launches, generating revenue, de-risking their investment, and accessing the $110 billion market for space-related advisory.

Example Outputs

What are space-based technologies?

Space-based technologies refer to systems and platforms positioned in orbit that deliver services to Earth in the form of data, connectivity, and navigation. These technologies are built around a growing ecosystem of modular and scalable satellite infrastructure and data relay systems.

Key components include:

  • Satellite communications: Provide real-time broadband and data transmission, especially in remote and underserved areas. Enabled by geostationary and low Earth orbit (LEO) constellations.
  • Earth observation (EO): Satellites equipped with multispectral, hyperspectral, thermal, and radar imaging systems capture data on land, water, and atmosphere.
  • Positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT): Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) like GPS and Galileo enable precision mapping and tracking.
  • Onboard analytics: Satellites now feature edge AI and onboard processing units to pre-process data in space, reducing latency.
  • Launch and servicing infrastructure: Reusable launch vehicles, small satellite deployment systems, and in-orbit servicing platforms expand operational reach and reduce cost barriers.

Why are space-based technologies important for the on-earth sectors?

Space systems offer coverage, resolution, and data granularity that ground infrastructure cannot match, especially across geographically distributed or remote environments. Each sector benefits from a unique set of space capabilities:

  • Government: Satellite imagery is used for border control, disaster management, climate regulation, and defense intelligence.
  • Energy and power: Earth observation helps monitor pipeline integrity, detect methane leaks, evaluate site suitability for renewables, and track energy infrastructure performance.
  • Industrials: Orbital analytics provide insights into supply chain movement, asset tracking, port congestion, and infrastructure resilience.
  • Telecommunications: LEO constellations such as Starlink and OneWeb extend broadband reach, reduce latency, and support 5G edge services in rural and emerging markets.
  • Life sciences: Space-derived geospatial data supports disease tracking, food security monitoring, and agricultural productivity through crop health assessments.

What impact will space-based technologies over the next 10 years?

Space-based technologies are expected to become foundational to economic infrastructure. The global space economy isprojected to grow from 596 billion US dollars in 2024 to 944 billion by 2033, with a significant share tied to downstream services.

Key impacts include:

  • Digital transformation of industries: EO and space analytics will drive over 100 billion US dollars in new value across agriculture, insurance, and public safety alone.
  • Faster disaster response and sustainability enforcement: Governments are using EO to monitor deforestation, enforce emissions compliance, and assess environmental risks.
  • Global broadband access: Projects like Amazon’s Project Kuiper and SpaceX’s Starlink aim to deliver low-latency internet to over 500 million unconnected people globally.
  • Operational intelligence: Commercial users, from hedge funds to mining companies, are using EO and orbital data to inform investment decisions and operations.

What space-based technologies are emerging over the next 10 years?

Several next-generation space technologies are poised to reshape on-earth services:

  • Hyperspectral imaging: Enables detection of material compositions, crop species, and pollutantswith extreme precision. Companies like Pixxel and Orbital Sidekick are pioneering commercial offerings.
  • Synthetic aperture radar (SAR): Provides high-resolution imaging regardless of light or weather. Startups like ICEYE and Capella Space are leading this field.
  • Onboard AI and edge processing: Satellites are becoming intelligent sensors capable of pre-analyzing data before transmission. This reduces bandwidth needs and increases response speed.
  • Space-based weather and climate monitoring: Companies like Tomorrow.io are deploying constellations for hyperlocal forecasting to support agriculture, logistics, and insurance sectors.
  • In-space manufacturing and satellite servicing: Technologies under development by Northrop Grumman and Orbit Fab aim to extend satellite lifespan and reduce replacement frequency.
  • Open data and analytics platforms: Government-led programs like ESA’s Copernicus and NASA’s Earthdata are providing open access to petabytes of EO data, which are being integrated into commercial platforms such as Google Earth Engine.

These advancements are shifting space from a specialized domain into a foundational infrastructure layer for decision-making across key industries.