2012
2012 – Satellite Television
Revenues from DTH television services comprised ##% of the commercial space products and services sector, and grew from $## billion in 2011 to $## billion in 2012. North American DTH providers DIRECTV and DISH Network continue to be the largest suppliers, with combined revenues of $## billion for 2012, a ##% increase from $## billion in 2011. Other DTH providers around the world generated the remaining $## billion in 2012 revenues.
2012 – RDT&E and IR&D funding
Independent research and development (IR&D), another infrastructure support industry, covers research and development activities initiated and funded by defense contractors independent of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Space-related IR&D is estimated by applying the percentage of space R&D versus total DoD R&D to the total amount of all IR&D spending according to the Defense Contract Audit Agency. Space IR&D spending was estimated at $## million in 2012, a slight decrease from the $## million estimated for 2011. This decrease stems from declines in both government-funded space R&D and the overall level of IR&D as tracked by the DoD.
2012 – Space Insurance
XL Insurance, an insurance brokerage, reported that space insurance premiums in 2012 totaled approximately $## million, compared to approximately $## million paid out in claims. This is comparable to Aon/ISB’s estimates of approximately $## million collected in premiums and $## million paid out in claims in 2011.
2012 – Commercial Human Spaceflight
The retirement of the Space Shuttle is spurring development of commercial cargo and crew transportation services. NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program, started in 2006, has awarded contracts to private companies to develop vehicles that transport cargo and personnel to and from the ISS. Although some companies, such as Boeing and Sierra Nevada, had started vehicle development work on their own, COTS funding has sped up the development process. So far, most COTS funding has been directed toward the development of two rockets and their associated cargo-carrying spacecraft. SpaceX has developed the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule, while Orbital Sciences is developing the Antares rocket and Cygnus freighter.
2012 – Ground Stations and Receivers
The market for ground stations and equipment was estimated at $## billion in 2012, a ##% increase from $## billion in 2011. The term “ground equipment” refers to Earth-based infrastructure and technology…
2012 – Space Stations
For fiscal year (FY) 2012, NASA allocated $## billion for ISS operations, a slight increase over the $## billion allocated in FY 2011. The ISS was designed for a full-time crew of six and is expected to maintain this staffing level until at least 2020.
2012 – Satellite Manufacturing
A total of ## satellites were launched (or attempted to be launched) in 2012, a ##% increase from the ## in 2011. This includes all payloads launched into space except for technology development payloads and missions to the ISS. These ## satellites were worth approximately $## billion, a ##% increase over the $## billion value of the ## satellites launched in 2011.
2012 – Launch Industry
In 2012, ## orbital launches were attempted, carrying ## payloads, including satellites, interplanetary probes, and flights to the International Space Station (ISS). Compared to the 2011 total of ## launch attempts, this represents a #% decrease. Of these ## launches, ## placed their primary payloads into orbit.
2012 – Commercial Infrastructure and Support Industries Overview
Revenue for commercial space infrastructure and support industries, which include satellite manufacturing, launch services, space stations, ground stations, and associated equipment, totaled $## billion in 2012, an increase of ##% from $## billion in 2011. This total does not include government spending on space infrastructure, which is described separately in Government Space Budgets.
2012 – South African Government Space Budget
In FY 2012, which ran from April 1, 2012, to March 31, 2013, the government of South Africa planned to spend an estimated ## million rand (US$## million) on space activities. The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) planned an FY 2012 budget of ## million rand (US$## million). South Africa is also investing in space science elsewhere in its budget. In FY 2012, the Department of Science and Technology planned investment of ## million rand (US$## million) in its space science research program, including ## million rand (US$## million) for the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) program, a large-scale international radio telescope project.