Summary
Private capital, launch innovation, and satellite infrastructure are accelerating the development of the new space economy. As this market gains momentum, enterprises and investors are beginning to ask a more practical set of questions: What happens when digital infrastructure moves beyond Earth? Could datacenters operate in orbit? Is it feasible to get them there? And what would that mean for energy, sustainability, sovereignty, security, and scale?
Join experts from across S&P Global for a discussion on the emerging space economy, anchored by the SpaceX IPO, its Starlink satellite broadband service, and growing interest in orbital datacenter ambitions. The session will explore:
- Capital flows and M&A activity in this emerging market
- Infrastructure requirements, technical barriers and sustainability implications of digital infrastructure in orbit
- The practical realities of building and operating technology infrastructure in space
Speakers
S&P Global
Johan Vermij
Senior Analyst, 451 Research
Johan Vermij is a research analyst for the 451 Research Internet of Things practice at S&P Global. He covers the digital transformation of the energy sector. His smart energy research covers power and utilities, and oil and gas, as well as distributed energy resources, vehicle-to-grid integration and sustainability.
Secondary research areas include operational technology security, the private spaceflight sector and autonomous robotics.
As a Cambridge Institute of Sustainable Leadership (CISL) alumnus, he has a special interest in the role technology plays in sustainable innovation.
Prior to joining S&P Global Market Intelligence, he worked as an IoT and security practitioner, managing innovation projects across multiple sectors including aerospace, government and finance.
S&P Global Market Intelligence
Sarah James
Senior Editor
Sarah James has more than a decade of experience writing and editing data-driven, sector-focused content, covering everything from retransmission consent disputes to municipal broadband deployment. She has moderated various panels at industry events like Mobile World Congress and Streaming Media West, and she continues to produce articles around environmental, social and governance issues.
S&P Global Market Intelligence
John Fletcher
Senior Analyst, Media
John Fletcher (Sr. Analyst) has spent over two decades as an industry analyst researching and forecasting the metrics and finances of the Telecommunication, Media and Technology (TMT) industry. Subjects covered have included cable networks, box office, mobile networks, fixed wireless, towers, broadband, mobile entertainment and consumer/b2b surveys.
He is currently leading the Americas research teams for broadband, multichannel video and mobile/towers at S&P Global Market Intelligence with a focus on the changing video subscription space and how the U.S. can close the broadband digital divide.
Mr. Fletcher holds a Bachelor’s in Economics from Saint Mary’s College of California. He is a frequent speaker and has been quoted in numerous publications including USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and The Economist.
S&P Global
Ellie Brown
Research Analyst, Cloud Price Index & Quantum Computing
Ellie Brown is a research analyst at S&P Global working across the 451 Research Cloud Transformation channel and the technology, media and telecommunications data team. She manages the Cloud Price Index, the division’s benchmark tracking product for pricing for a selection of cloud infrastructure and managed services around the world. Ellie compiles and maintains a dataset collected from millions of hyperscaler SKUs and looks at trends in pricing, service additions and regional expansion plans for the major public cloud providers.
Ellie’s additional coverage areas include the developing quantum computing and quantum network sectors, with research spanning quantum-suited verticals, new quantum hardware and software developments and the intersection of quantum technology, with key themes including AI and sustainability.
Before joining S&P Global in 2022, Ellie’s work experience included product strategy/planning and go-to-market activities for SaaS and AI startups, as well as scientific research in astronomy and work as a secondary teacher.
Ellie holds a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in physics from the University of Utah and is pursuing a master’s degree in environmental policy and management with a concentration in sustainable energy from the University of Denver.