Germany
Measuring Industrial Emissions
In another example of space spinoff technology in the environmental and energy sector, German company ESCUBE produces sensors to monitor emissions from industrial heating systems. The company uses technology originally developed by ESA to measure oxygen levels near spacecraft reentering Earth’s atmosphere.
Combined Virtual and Real Car Racing
A new online video game, created by Dutch-German startup company iOpener Media, uses high-accuracy satellite tracking that allows players to race cars in real time against other users during real-world racing events, breaking new ground for car racing fans and gamers alike. iOpener Media announced in 2010 that it received substantial funding in support of its next-generation online gaming programs.
2010 – European Space Industry Employment – Snapshot
he number of European space workers counted has expanded by 20% over five years, from 28,584 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees at the end of 2005 to 34,334 FTE employees in 2010. While some of the changes in European space workforce by sector reflected in Exhibit 4l are attributable to Eurospace methodology changes, they also underscore the shifting composition of the European space workforce.
2010 – Military Reconnaissance – Snapshot
In June 2010, Israel launched the OFEQ-9 reconnaissance satellite which joined ## others already in operation. China’s utilization of space for military purposes is even harder to gauge due to the country’s lack of transparency in its space programs. In 2010, the country launched ## Yaogan satellites with the stated purpose of engaging in scientific experiments, land survey, crop yield assessment, and disaster monitoring. Many space analysts believe that the true mission of these satellites is for reconnaissance or other military purposes.
2010 – Military Satellite Overview – Snapshot
One classification of satellite is based not just on the spacecraft’s capabilities. Military satellites are generally characterized by the end users they are built to serve, not the type of service provided. Although they may perform the same functions as their non-defense counterparts, such as communication or remote sensing, they are instead operated by national intelligence or defense personnel. Armed forces from across the globe also rely on leased capacity from commercial satellite operators.
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 – Orbital Astrophysics Systems – Snapshot
ESA’s Herschel and Planck observatories were launched together in May 2009, and both are being used to study the evolution of distant stars and the effects of the Big Bang. In July 2010, both missions made noteworthy progress: the Planck mission produced its first map of the entire sky at microwave wavelengths, while the Journal Astronomy & Astrophysics published a special issue dedicated to Herschel, featuring 152 papers based on new data from the mission.
2010 – Land Imaging (GIS) – Snapshot
Two major U.S. commercial providers of satellite-based Earth imagery are DigitalGlobe and GeoEye. Both companies provide imagery for widely used applications such as Google Earth. In August 2010, the companies were awarded separate 10-year, $## billion contracts from the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency under that agency’s EnhancedView procurement. These contracts make it possible for both companies to finish procurement and launch of new advanced satellites capable of discerning objects on the Earth’s surface as small as 25 centimeters (9.75 inches) in size.
2010 – German Government Space Budget – Snapshot
The Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Germany’s national space agency, oversaw an authorized budget of €## million (US$## million) in 2010, excluding contributions made to ESA. In addition to the DLR-only spending, Germany made €## million (US$## million) in ESA contributions in 2010. Combined, the DLR authorization and ESA contribution total €## billion (US$## billion), representing approximately ##% of Germany’s 2010 budget of €## billion ($## billion). The total German space budget remained constant from 2009.
2010 – European Space Agency Budget – Snapshot
ESA, representing 18 member states, had a 2010 budget of €## billion (US$## billion), ##% more than the 2009 budget of €## billion (US$## billion). The largest three ESA funding line items are navigation activities at ##% of the budget, Earth observation activities at ##% of the budget, and launcher activity—related to the Ariane and Vega launch vehicles—with ##% of the budget.