Browse Resources by Year

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 – Satellite Overview – Snapshot

Most modern satellites are specialized machines designed typically to serve a single specific mission, such as communications, remote sensing, scientific observation, or navigation. While the general trend over the past several decades has been to make larger and more powerful spacecraft, there has also been a growing interest in launching extremely small objects, often measuring no more than 10 centimeters (4 inches) on a side. Such spacecraft, called cubesats, have been developed by many universities and other organizations for scientific experimentation and technology development.

2010 – U.S. Space Industry Employment Snapshot

As an indicator of U.S. space industry employment, the Space Foundation surveyed the 15 U.S. companies (including two joint ventures between Boeing and Lockheed Martin) with space-related sales greater than…

2010 – Space Industry Demographics – Snapshot

In the United States, NASA continues to be a significant source of demand for new space professionals. Over the past five years, NASA has hired more than . . .

2010 – U.S. Education Trends – Snapshot

Considered together, recent NASA and U.S. aerospace company hiring statistics indicate that there is a combined demand for thousands of new S&E workers each year in the United States, a growing proportion of whom are aged 35 or less. These new hires will most likely need at least a bachelor’s degree, and many will require either a master’s or doctoral degree.

2010 – India’s Launch Efforts – Snapshot

India conducted ## launches in 2010, up from two in 2009. However, ## of the ## in 2010 were unsuccessful. The ## ## used the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle to carry into orbit two remote sensing satellites, one of which was Indian and the other Algerian, along with several small technology demonstration craft.

2010 – Japan’s Launch Efforts – Snapshot

Japan conducted ## successful launches of its H-IIA rocket, compared with ## launches in 2009. The Japanese space program was also able to end a launch window restriction at its Tanegashima launch facility, which had limited launches for much of the year.

2010 – Europe Launch Efforts – Snapshot

In 2010, Europe launched ## rockets, as compared to ## in 2009. Although a higher launch rate was planned, along with the debut of the Russian-built Soyuz from the European launch complex in Kourou, French Guiana, the European launch industry experienced a series of setbacks which kept it from meeting these goals.

2010 – China’s Launch Efforts – Snapshot

China began the year with only a few missions publicly disclosed, but a series of unannounced launches in the second half of the year made 2010 China’s busiest year ever in terms of launch activity, exceeding its previous national record of ## launches in 2008. While China had only launched ## rockets by the end of July, it carried out ## launches in the following three months.

2010 – Russia’s Launch Effort – Snapshot

The Russian space program maintained its historically high launch rate while continuing development of its new spaceport and launch vehicles. Over the course of 2010, Russia conducted ## orbital launches, up from ## in 2009, using such longstanding vehicles as the Proton and Soyuz. Russia is developing ## new rocket systems to meet its needs for the future and is also working to launch the Soyuz 2 rocket from the existing European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.