Browse Resources by Year

2009 – European Space Workforce – Snapshot

Revenue growth among the largest European space companies in 2009 suggests that the European space industry will weather the current recession with only marginal impact on employment. For the European space workforce, 2008 was a year of growth as the industry continued to recover from a decline linked to the 2000–2001 downturn which impacted the global satellite communications industry. Leading Europe’s 2008 space employment growth were European spacecraft manufacturers, which also constitute its largest segment in employment terms. Employment among ground systems providers has historically accounted for roughly ##% of Europe’s space workforce.

2009 – U.S. National Security Workforce – Snapshot

Somewhat less transparent than U.S. private sector and civil space employment is the U.S. military space workforce. A number of nations besides the United States are developing military space capabilities, and the scope of military space theory has broadened in response to changing military doctrines, technological advances, and asymmetrical warfare.

2009 – Satellite Orbits – Snapshot

Satellites provide a perspective of the Earth that cannot be matched by ground-based technology. In the early days of the Space Age, satellites served little purpose beyond demonstrating that they were in orbit. Decades of experience and technological advancement have yielded sophisticated craft that perform multiple essential missions for militaries, government agencies, and companies around the world. Modern satellites are specialized vehicles designed typically to serve a single specific mission, such as communications, meteorology, remote sensing, scientific measurements, navigation, or reconnaissance.

2009 – Satellite – Snapshot

Satellites provide a perspective of the Earth that cannot be matched by ground-based technology. In the early days of the Space Age, satellites served little purpose beyond demonstrating that they were in orbit. Decades of experience and technological advancement have yielded sophisticated craft that perform multiple essential missions for militaries, government agencies, and companies around the world.

2009 – Suborbital Payload Launch – Snapshot

There is growing interest in suborbital reusable launch vehicles to conduct experiments and research. Masten Space Systems of Mojave, California, is developing the Extreme Altitude series of unmanned suborbital vehicles to carry experimental payloads. The company is offering to launch payloads at a price of $## per kilogram ($## per pound), or a “Sodasat” payload for $##, so named because its size and mass is similar to that of a can of soda.

2009 – Non U.S. Launch and Payload – Snapshot

The Sea Launch consortium operates a derivative of the Ukrainian Zenit 2 rocket, modified with Russian and American components and used by Sea Launch as its standard booster since the company’s first launch in 1999. The Zenit-3SL rocket launches from Sea Launch’s ocean platform. A variant of this system, the Zenit-3SLB, launches from the Zenit pad at Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

2009 – Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Systems – Snapshot

Note: This exhibit is from The Space Report 2010.

2009 – Japan Launch and Payload – Snapshot

In contrast to countries that fill various space-launch niches with an array of different rocket types, Japan has chosen to focus its rocket development efforts by progressively enhancing and refining older rockets. The H-IIA and H-IIB are the current manifestations of these efforts.

2009 – Europe Launch and Payload – Snapshot

Europe’s space launch capability is managed by ESA via France-based Arianespace, a public-private consortium of 23 shareholders and ten European nations. European launches are conducted using facilities located at Kourou in French Guiana. While this site has seen a progression of rockets lift off from its pads, in recent years only the Ariane 5 launched from Kourou.

2009 – Landers/Rovers – Snapshot

Space surface systems are designed to operate on planets and other extraterrestrial bodies including the Moon, asteroids, and comets. Two well-known examples of these surface systems are the NASA Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. The rovers landed on Mars in January 2004 for a planned 90-day mission.