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The economic impacts and human capital effects of global space activity are mutually reinforcing. Worldwide space activity is a driver of industry and commerce, both in economic sectors with a primary space linkage and in secondary and tertiary supporting industries. As space-related economic activity stimulates economic growth, it employs individuals, shapes educational needs, and informs public policy priorities.
Read MoreThe satellite insurance industry had a positive year in 2008 due to successful launch experience. Launch insurance prices increased for 2009, bringing rates from the ##-##% range back up to the ##-##% levels seen in the earlier part of the decade. According to XL Insurance, a space industry specialist, 2008 premiums were $## million, against $## million in claims. The upward pressure on premiums stemmed largely from events in 2007 when claims of $## million due to launch failures surpassed premiums of $## million.
Read MoreThe enhanced methodology employed this year eliminates potential double-counting of revenues that can occur because of separate, overlapping estimates for ground equipment and GPS equipment. Thus the total estimated 2008 revenue of $## billion appears lower than those reported as separate categories in The Space Report 2008.
Read MoreFunding for the largest in-space platform, the International Space Station, is included in the government budgets of ISS partners. NASA, the largest contributor, allocated $## billion for the space station in fiscal year (FY) 2008 and requested $## billion for FY 2009. During 2008, two major modules were added to the ISS: the Japanese Kibo, which cost approximately $# billion to develop; and the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Columbus, which cost €880 million (US$## billion).
Read MoreIn 2008, ## satellites were launched globally, down from ## satellites in 2007. The total number of satellites for 2008 and 2007 excludes robotic missions to the ISS and crewed missions. The estimated value of commercial and non-commercial satellites decreased by ##%, down to $## billion in 2008 from $## billion in 2007. The decrease in total value can be attributed primarily to a smaller number of high-value government satellites launched as compared to less-costly commercial satellites.
Read MoreThe pace of operations in the launch industry was essentially unchanged in 2008 with ## total orbital launches carrying ## payloads. This compares with ## orbital launches in 2007 carrying ## payloads and continues a steady four-year increase in global space launch count. Each Space Shuttle mission is counted as a single payload. Of the ## launches in 2008, ## carried commercial payloads, ## carried non-commercial payloads.
Read MoreRevenue in 2008 for commercial space infrastructure, including launch vehicles, satellites, in-space platforms, ground equipment, and infrastructure support industries totaled $## billion. Space infrastructure revenue estimates are shown in the exhibit. Government budgets include funding for infrastructure and are addressed separately in Government Space Budgets.
Read MoreA new MSS venture was announced in September 2008. With the backing of $60 million from Google, HSBC, and Liberty Global, the “Other 3 Billion” (O3b) network was introduced. The…
Read MoreWhile FSS systems all operate in GEO, mobile satellite service (MSS) systems operate in a range of orbits. Some MSS operators have built their networks using a limited number of GEO satellites. In August 2008, the oldest and largest of these, Inmarsat, launched its ## Inmarsat-4 satellite, establishing global availability of its Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) service, and bringing the fleet total to ## spacecraft. Another GEO MSS operator, ICO Global, launched its G-1 satellite in April 2008 to provide voice, data, video, and Internet service throughout the United States on mobile and portable devices.
Read MoreSince 2004, the FSS sector has experienced steady increases in the utilization of its satellites, in some regions verging on exhaustion of currently available capacity. The major FSS players report…
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