Major areas include satellite telecommunications, Earth observation, navigation systems (like Galileo), cargo and crew transport to the ISS, scientific exploration missions, commercial launch services, and in-orbit services (refueling, maintenance).

It enables environmental monitoring (deforestation, pollution), agricultural resource management, weather forecasting, natural disaster response, and intelligence, providing crucial data for decision-making.

The sector is marked by strong commercialization and the reuse of launchers, significantly reducing costs. New private players are developing light and heavy rockets to meet the growing demand for deploying satellite constellations into orbit.

These are operations performed on a satellite already in orbit, such as refueling, maintenance, upgrades, or deorbiting. These services aim to extend the lifespan of space assets and reduce debris.

The main challenges involve protecting astronauts from cosmic radiation, long-duration life support systems, advanced propulsion to reduce travel time, and the ability to produce resources in situ (such as water or oxygen) on other planets.