2010
2010 – U.S. Human Launch Efforts – Snapshot
Certain spaceflight systems, including both the launch vehicle and its spacecraft payload, can be used to carry humans into space. Such flights amount to a small portion of all space missions—in 2010 only ## of the year’s ## launches carried people.
2010 – Earth Observation – Snapshot
Earth observation revenue in 2010 totaled $## billion, #% more than the $## billion estimated by market research firm NSR in 2009. Revenues within the Earth observation sector are generated by data sales and value-added services (VAS). Value-added services include new products and services created from existing raw satellite data. According to NSR, the Earth observation market has grown due to demand by civil government and military organizations for applications in the fields of defense, intelligence, surveillance, and security as well as environment and climate change.
2010 – European Space Agency Budget – Snapshot
ESA, representing 18 member states, had a 2010 budget of €## billion (US$## 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.
2010 – Satellite Communications – Snapshot
The satellite services sector, which includes fixed and mobile satellite services, registered $## billion in 2010 revenue, up from $## billion in 2009. Both types of services communicate information in video, voice, and data formats. Fixed satellite services (FSS) refer to the delivery of satellite communications to stationary ground receivers that can be moved from one location to another but do not work while in transit. Mobile satellite services provide similar capabilities but the communication link ties to mobile receivers, such as satellite telephones or in-flight communications.
2010 – European Commission Space Budget – Snapshot
The 2010 budget of the EC includes €## billion (US$## billion) in funding for space-related programs. This represents approximately ##% of the EU’s €## billion (US$## billion) budget for 2010. The EC space-related budget focuses on three primary areas: space research, security research, and European satellite navigation programs.
2010 – Chinese Government Space Budget – Snapshot
Responsibility for Chinese space activities is shared by several agencies including the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), which operates the country’s human spaceflight program and its launch centers. Data on the Chinese national space budget is difficult to obtain and estimates vary widely. During an April 2006 speech in Washington, DC, CNSA Vice Administrator Luo Ge stated that the CNSA budget was approximately US$## million per year. While this figure is credible for the CNSA as an agency by itself, it is likely too low to represent the full extent of space spending in China.
2010 – Spaceports – Snapshot
Launch sites, commonly called spaceports, host the launches of orbital and suborbital vehicles and, in some cases, the return of spacecraft from space. Spaceports take many forms, from sprawling, dedicated complexes such as Baikonur in Kazakhstan, to specialized ships floating in the Pacific Ocean, such as Sea Launch’s Odyssey.
2010 – Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) Space Activities – Snapshot
The dominant providers of international fixed satellite services (FSS) are Intelsat, SES, Eutelsat, and Telesat. These four companies collectively own nearly half of all GEO commercial communications satellites (125 satellites, or 47% of the total), and represented 49% of total FSS market revenues in 2010.
2010 – Canadian Government Space Budget – Snapshot
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) managed an FY 2010 budget of C$## million (US$## million), including a planned contribution of C$## million (US$## million) to the European Space Agency. The CSA-only budget of C$## million (US$## million) represents a ##% decrease from the previous year’s CSA-only budget of C$## million (US$## million). The CSA focused its funding in three main activity areas: Earth observation; space science and exploration, which includes robotic and human spaceflight; and satellite communication and navigation systems.
2010 – Satellite Radio – Snapshot
Revenue from satellite radio broadcasting in 2010 is estimated to be $## billion, a ##% increase over 2009. Following the bankruptcy and liquidation of WorldSpace, which had provided services globally, satellite radio is available only in North America. U.S.-based Sirius XM announced in November 2010 that it has more than 20 million subscribers despite operating in a difficult financial environment. The company attributes its…