Is 2026 the year of the Space Economy?

As we begin 2026, ARK Invest Europe’s Global Head of Investment Products, Rahul Bhushan comments on the investment outlook for the Space economy.

Once the stuff of sci-fi comic books, but as recent world events have shown, Governments now treat space as operational infrastructure and as a core defence domain….

The growing focus on the space economy heading into 2026 reflects a structural shift, not renewed fascination. Governments now treat space as operational infrastructure and as a core defence domain. Capital markets are beginning to follow.

2026 matters because it may be the year this transition becomes visible in public markets.

A potential IPO of SpaceX would serve as a natural anchor. Even without direct access, a public listing would establish valuation benchmarks, operating margins, and capital intensity assumptions for the broader space ecosystem. That process forces allocators to ask a simple question: where does space sit in a portfolio?

That question drives classification. Classification drives capital.

Anchor 1: The White House Has Set Timelines and Capital Intent

The December 18, 2025 White House Executive Order formally integrates space into the US economic and national security architecture. It commits to a return to the Moon by 2028, permanent lunar infrastructure by 2030, and at least $50 billion of additional private investment into US space markets by 2028.

The order prioritises commercial procurement, fixed-price contracts, and accelerated acquisition pathways. This framework shifts funding toward scalable commercial platforms and away from bespoke government programs.

Policy now provides timelines, procurement structure, and capital intent. Markets rarely ignore that combination.

Anchor 2: Venezuela Shows How Space and Defence Already Converge

Recent reporting around intelligence and extraction activity linked to Venezuela illustrates how modern defence and intelligence operations now function in practice. These missions rely on persistent intelligence, secure communications, and precise situational awareness before any action occurs on the ground.

Satellite-based ISR, resilient communications, and unmanned systems now determine mission timing, routing, and risk management in contested environments such as Venezuela. Space-enabled capabilities shape outcomes upstream of physical engagement.

This is not theoretical demand. Defence institutions already operate this way.

Anchor 3: Infrastructure, Procurement Reform, and Defence Pull Capital Together

Governments now classify space systems alongside energy, telecoms, and defence infrastructure. These systems underpin navigation, communications, logistics, and military readiness. Infrastructure spending persists across cycles and prioritises reliability and redundancy.

At the same time, procurement reform favours commercial execution through mechanisms such as Other Transactions Authority and Space Act Agreements. This rewards scale, automation, and repeatable service models.

Together, defence reliance, infrastructure classification, and procurement reform pull capital toward the same set of space-enabled capabilities. That convergence explains why 2026 could mark the year the space economy becomes investable at scale.