Methodology

Earth-centered Orbital Classification Methodology

A description of the way the Space Foundation classifies the orbits of satellites.

2010 – Workforce and Education Metrics – Snapshot

Measures of space-related human capital are useful to policymakers, industry leaders, and independent analysts because they enable exploration of those aspects of space activity with the most direct impact on people’s everyday lives: jobs, wages, and education.

2010 – Infrastructure Metrics – Snapshot

Some accepted estimation methods fais to take into account the fact that not all launch vehicles are equal. The smallest orbital launch vehicles can place payloads of only a few hundred kilograms into orbit, while the largest vehicles can carry tens of thousands of kilograms. This section explains how the Space Foundation provides meaningful methods of measuring space infrastructure.

2010 – Space Economy Metrics – Snapshot

Different definitions, classifications, accounting systems, and budgetary cycles further complicate the important task of identifying and globally assessing the value of space investments. Neither are there sufficient mechanisms to track how average companies or individuals use and benefit from space.

2008 – U.S. Space Workforce: Methodology

The Space Report 2009 builds on the baseline U.S. space employment analysis introduced in 2008. Drawing upon the most recent data, released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in 2007, the report surveys employment and salary numbers for the six space-related industry sectors described in Exhibit 4b.

2008 – Education Trends/Methodology – Snapshot

The trends examined in this section of the report are based primarily on U.S. government statistics. The main sources of data include the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

2007 – The Space Industry Workforce: The Methodology

To provide the most accurate and verifiable statistics, our analysis is limited to industries that directly produce space industry products and services.

Appendix