Clarity for high-stakes strategic decisions

The Exit Strategy Test introduces a framework for assessing space sovereignty beyond ownership and operational control. It examines critical dependencies across operations, supply chains, software, data and IP, industrial capacity and recovery time, assesses whether a government could sustain a strategic space capability if a critical supplier disappears.

India’s space economy is moving beyond launch vehicles and satellites towards the infrastructure that enables spacecraft to operate, move, interact and create value in orbit. This insights maps 28 Indian space tech companies across nine layers of Earth-orbit infrastructure, from SSA and propulsion to in-orbit servicing and others.

India’s space economy is expanding rapidly, creating opportunities for global space companies. But success depends on understanding the market, regulatory environment, local partnerships and customer-access dynamics - not simply the size of the opportunity.

The new space race isn't one market - it's five. From commoditising Earth orbit to pre-revenue deep space, each layer has its own capital, maturity, and risk profile. We break down where the real money is moving now, why the Moon is industrial policy rather than a market, and the fastest-growing layer - security, sovereignty and regulation - which most CXOs are missing entirely.

Satellite ownership has become the default measure of space sovereignty - but it's the wrong question. This insights breaks down a three-tier framework (full-stack, space-segment, and sovereignty-as-a-service) for understanding what "sovereign space" actually requires, and why the infrastructure underneath the satellite may matter more than the satellite itself.