Saudi Arabia Satellite-Based Earth Observation Market Analysis

Saudi Arabia Satellite-Based Earth Observation Industry Analysis

Payload Type Insights

• The SATCOM category holds the largest market share, of 40%, in 2024. This is attributed to the crucial role of communication satellites in ensuring global connectivity. SATCOM equipment is helpful in numerous applications, such as observing military targets, monitoring weather, communication, and navigation. They facilitate essential communication services, such as internet and mobile connectivity, by transmitting signals across the Earth.
• The imaging category is projected to grow at the highest CAGR, during 2024–2030. This is due to the rise in the demand for high-resolution imaging and advanced environmental monitoring.

During the study, we analyzed the following payload types:

• SATCOM (Largest Category)
• EO/IR
• Communication
• Imaging (Fastest-Growing Category)
• Navigation

Altitude Analysis

• The below 500–600 km category holds the largest market share, of 65%, in 2024. Satellites that hover at this altitude range are mostly utilized for high-resolution imaging and detailed earth observation. This makes them preferred for a wide range of applications, which include urban planning, environmental monitoring, and defense.

Below are the altitudes covered in the report:

• Below 500–600 km (Larger Category)
• Above 600 km (Faster-Growing Category)

Technology Insights

• The synthetic aperture radar category is projected to grow at the higher CAGR, of 5.9%, during 2024–2030. This growth is attributed to the ability of this technology to capture images irrespective of weather conditions or daylight. This is a limitation in optical satellites.
• Further, the SAR technology is useful in places with a normal cloud cover, detecting minute changes in the earth’s surface, and continuous monitoring.

During the study, we have analyzed the following technology:

• Optical (Larger Category)
• Synthetic Aperture Radar (Faster-Growing Category)

Satellite Orbit Analysis

• The low earth orbit category holds a significant market share in 2024. This is due to the launch of a significant number of satellites into this orbit for a wide range of applications, including remote sensing, earth observation, and communication.
• Moreover, the cost associated with launching satellites into the low earth orbit is comparatively lower.
• Additionally, their ease of launch, together with the ability to offer high-resolution imagery and make frequent revisits, contributes to this dominance.

Below are the satellite orbits covered in the report:

• Low Earth Orbit (Largest and Fastest-Growing Category)
• Medium Earth Orbit
• Geostationary Orbit

Application Insights

• The disaster management category accounts for the largest share in 2024.
• This is primarily due to the increasing focus on data collection to retrieve information on land use patterns and wildlife trends, manage natural resources, and track biodiversity.
• This helps achieve environmental, social, and economic sustainability.

The following applications are included in the report:

• Infrastructure
• Environment Monitoring (Fastest-Growing Category)
• Energy
• Natural Resources Monitoring
• Maritime
• Disaster Management (Largest Category)
• Others