ORLANDO, FL — September 28th, 2026 — Space is rapidly becoming a practical business tool for industries far beyond aerospace, as satellite intelligence, resilient connectivity and other space-enabled technologies create new opportunities for growth, resilience and security on Earth.
Economist Enterprise’s 4th annual Space Economy Summit, taking place October 28–29, 2026, at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, will bring together senior leaders from government, space, investment and industries including telecommunications, agriculture, healthcare, mining, retail, finance and manufacturing.
The summit will examine how innovation in orbit can deliver measurable commercial and strategic value across the wider economy.
Bringing space-enabled technology to the industries that need it
The summit’s speaker line-up reflects the growing importance of space technology beyond the traditional aerospace sector.
Speakers include Taylor Jordan, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Environmental Observation and Prediction at NOAA and Director of the Office of Space Commerce; Gillian Bussey, Deputy Chief Science Officer at the US Space Force; Martine Rothblatt, Founder, Chairperson and Chief Executive of United Therapeutics; Srini Kalapala, Senior Vice-President and Chief Network Officer, Wireless, at Verizon; Feroz Sheikh, Group Chief Information and Digital Officer at Syngenta; and Jayesh Bhayani, Executive Vice-President and Senior Director of Technology at Tesco.
The programme also features leaders from the Federal Communications Commission, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, NASA, the International Space Station National Laboratory, Citi, BNY Mellon, Rio Tinto, Ford Motor Company and other organisations across the space and commercial ecosystem.
Together, these perspectives will explore how space-enabled technologies can address challenges on Earth, from resilient communications and climate intelligence to supply-chain visibility, agricultural productivity, infrastructure monitoring and new approaches to healthcare and manufacturing.
From promising pilots to commercial adoption
As space technology becomes increasingly accessible, the summit will focus on the practical questions that determine whether innovation translates into commercial value.
Discussions will examine customer demand, integration with legacy systems, procurement pathways, resilient supply chains and business models capable of delivering value beyond pilot projects.
The programme will also explore the next phase of the space economy, including direct-to-device connectivity, positioning, navigation and timing resilience, defence demand, commercial space stations, orbital computing, microgravity manufacturing and renewed interest in lunar exploration.
Commercial opportunity and strategic risk
The growing importance of space-enabled technology is accompanied by questions about regulation, geopolitical competition, orbital congestion, defence dependency, sustainability and commercial viability.
The summit will bring together policymakers, investors, space companies and end users to examine how governments and businesses can develop resilient, trusted and commercially sustainable space capabilities.
Space Economy Leaders Club
Alongside the main programme, the Space Economy Leaders Club will provide an invitation-only forum for 50 senior decision-makers with the influence, capital and operational responsibility to shape the future of the global space economy.
The club will bring together chief executives, agency leaders, investors, policymakers, commercial space pioneers and strategic end users of space-enabled technologies for candid discussion and peer exchange.
At the heart of America’s space ecosystem
Hosted at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, the summit is positioned within one of the United States’ most important commercial space corridors, connecting academic research, industry innovation and the wider Florida space economy.
The Space Economy Summit will take place on October 28–29, 2026.
For more information and to register: https://econint.co/
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