The UAE’s space economy is taking off. Nearly half of spending now comes from business

The UAE is aiming to make space more than a government-funded ambition. The latest numbers suggest the private sector is starting to play a much bigger role.

The country’s space economy grew 27.1% in 2024, reaching $1.50 billion (AED 5.52 billion)  in total spending, according to the latest Space Economic Survey from the UAE Space Agency and the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC).

Nearly half of that spending, 48%, or $719 million, came from commercial activity.

That puts businesses closer to the center of the UAE’s space ambitions as the country works toward its goal of becoming one of the world’s 10 largest space economies under the National Space Strategy 2031.

“The latest survey results demonstrate the growing economic value of the UAE’s space sector, with growth in value added outpacing spending by more than two to one,” said H.E. Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports and Chairman of the UAE Space Agency.

The figures were announced in Dubai on October 13 at the Space Economic Survey Workshop, where the UAE also launched its next survey, covering the sector’s performance in 2025.

SPACE IS BECOMING A BUSINESS

The commercial share of spending is one of the clearest signals of where the UAE’s space strategy is heading.

Government investment remains important, but the country is increasingly looking to companies to build businesses around space technologies, infrastructure and data. The survey measures activity beyond traditional space companies, including organizations that use space-derived data, providing a broader picture of the industry’s economic footprint.

That matters for a country whose space strategy is not simply about reaching orbit. By 2031, the UAE wants to increase the sector’s economic value added by 60%, double space economy revenues, expand investment in space assets and infrastructure, increase the number of companies and UAE-headquartered startups, and grow the international markets for UAE space exports.

“Our priority is to build on this momentum by attracting investment, enabling UAE-based companies to compete internationally and developing the talent needed to drive the sector’s growth,” Al Falasi said.

THE TALENT RACE IS GAINING MOMENTUM

Capital is only one part of building a space economy. The UAE is also expanding the pool of people who can build and operate it.

The latest survey counted 1,495 Emiratis working in the sector, up 27.9% from the previous survey. There were 1,333 workers aged between 15 and 35, an increase of 29.5%.

Women are also becoming a larger part of the workforce. They represented 33.5% of the sector’s employees, while female employment grew by 83.9%.

Those numbers are significant for an industry where the competition for scientific, engineering and technical talent extends well beyond national borders.

THE DATA BEHIND AMBITION

The annual survey is designed to give policymakers a clearer picture of an industry that is expanding beyond traditional aerospace.

It tracks investment, spending, employment and economic contribution across the wider space ecosystem, providing data that can be used to shape policy and investment decisions. Its findings are also presented to the Supreme Space Council.

“Reliable economic data allows us to understand how the space sector is evolving and where its greatest opportunities lie,” said H.E. Hanan Ahli, Managing Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre.

The survey also forms part of the UAE’s broader effort to improve the measurement of emerging sectors through its Comprehensive GDP Revision Programme.

“The participation of companies, government entities, universities, and research institutions is essential to the success of these efforts,” Ahli said.

The latest survey drew contributions from government entities, academic institutions, and private-sector organizations, including Space42, Abu Dhabi Ports, the Environment Agency–Abu Dhabi, FADA, Higher Colleges of Technology, New York University, Zayed University, and others.

The next set of figures is already being collected. The 2026 survey will measure 2025 activity, with data collection continuing until December and results expected in October 2027.

For the UAE, the trajectory is becoming increasingly measurable with more money flowing through the space economy, more companies participating and a growing number of Emiratis entering the industry. The challenge now is turning that growth into a globally competitive space business.