Faced with rising cost pressures and Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO)-driven disruption, satellite operators are doubling down on diversification, multi-orbit strategies, and consolidation to stay competitive.
According to Novaspace’s new FSS Operator: Benchmarks & Performance Review report, multi-orbit deployments surged in 2025, with 24 operators now embracing multi-orbit strategies. Meanwhile, vertically integrated giants such as SpaceX, Viasat-Inmarsat, and Echostar captured US $17.6 billion in revenues, outpacing non-integrated operators at $10.2 billion.
“The era of single-orbit dominance is over,” declared Jennifer Sheppard, Novaspace Consultant. “Scale, adaptability, and integration are now the keys to survival.
“Operators that embrace multi-orbit architectures and High Throughput Satellite (HTS) technology are unlocking entirely new frontiers for connectivity and growth.”
Across the sector, HTS adoption is accelerating at record pace. By October 2025, 39 operators had launched HTS payloads, a threefold increase compared to a decade ago, with five more set to deploy their first GEO HTS payloads within three years.
Over the past five years, nine operators launched their first HTS payload, underscoring the industry’s pivot toward high-capacity, low-cost architectures.
The rise of NSGO constellations is also reshaping Satcom, Earth Observation (EO), and Ground Segment as a Service (GSaaS) into a flexible, software-driven ecosystem.
Specifically, Novaspace’s 6th Ground Segment Market Prospects report projects a US$106 billion market and a fundamental shift in satellite infrastructure economics.
Alix Rousselière, Novaspace Senior Consultant, said, “As ground infrastructure grows more complex, operators are integrating managed services and advanced network strategies to optimise bandwidth and meet diverse customer needs. These shifts are essential to expand service portfolios and capture new revenue.”
The rise of NGSO is accelerating GSaaS adoption, pushing providers from CAPEX-heavy models to OPEX-driven, on-demand services. Consolidation across the value chain is intensifying, with legacy operators pooling infrastructure and adopting multi-orbit strategies that combine GEO’s high-capacity backhaul with NGSO’s low-latency coverage.
Growing demand for data and communications is also driving smaller, higher-frequency gateways and advanced antennas, including flat-panel and electronically steered arrays. Operators are moving toward Ka-, Q/V-, and E-band frequencies, with large-scale Q/V-band deployments expected by 2026.