The evolution of the global economy and the technical maturity of small satellites have opened a new era of space exploitation. Just considering how many nations have recently acquired space-faring capabilities manufacturing small satellites, it can be easily concluded that small satellites and low cost missions have spread space technologies very rapidly all over the world. More nations will soon acquire the economical resources and the know-how to deploy and operate space missions.

On the other side, countries with a long history in space have developed small satellites to explore different approaches to design and build satellites. In the last few years, small satellites built by spacefaring nations have proven enough reliability to be used as commercial products, to complement traditional space programmes, and also to test in orbit new technologies. Furthermore, small satellites have been produced and sold to emerging economies, showing that they are the door often used by newcomers to enter the club of space-faring nations. Small satellites seem to be the trait d’union between newcomers and established space industry. One of the objectives of the 4S Symposium of 2008 is to discuss what kind of benefits space systems can provide to emerging economies and how established space industries may use their know-how to enter these markets.

Recent activities have addressed development of technologies to quickly assemble and launch a satellite. These technologies are being developed to respond to short term needs or for complementing with small satellites an existing space asset that has some limitations. The capability of rapidly deploying small satellites is an asset to market space systems. At the same time, some of the technologies used on board satellites are subject to export restrictions, even in the case of small satellites. This has an influence on the worldwide trade of small satellite technologies and systems. It is important to understand what kinds of cooperation are now possible and how different regulations may in the future affect the overall equilibrium of the worldwide small satellite market.