2011


2011 – U.S. Civil Space Budgets – Snapshot

NASA’s FY 2011 actual budget, reached as a result of seven CRs and Public Law 112-10¸ decreased by ##% from the agency’s FY 2010 actual budget, including FY 2010 funds received from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act economic stimulus package. Operating under the series of CRs impacted NASA’s ability to effectively implement its programs. In 2010, Congress and the President agreed to cancel the planned Constellation Program. However, as a result of the CRs during FY 2011, NASA was required to continue spending funds on its existing programs, including Constellation. While flexibility in internal funds allocation allowed NASA to focus much of its Constellation spending during early 2011 on elements of the program which will continue in future years, including the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) and the J-2X rocket engine, funds were nonetheless spent on elements of the Constellation program which would not continue in the future.

Read More


2011 – U.S. National Security Space Budgets – Snapshot

Military space spending is significant but difficult to quantify because most nations do not publish budget and program information about space-related national security and intelligence activity. Additionally, space capabilities have become an integral part of modern warfare, and space programs therefore often receive supportive funding from secondary sources not clearly defined as space-related. Also, many missions labeled primarily as civil assets serve dual-purpose military objectives. For all of these reasons, the estimation of military space spending is uncertain.

Read More


2011 – Technology Development Satellites – Snapshot

Other national space agencies are also supporting key technology development efforts. In April 2011, ESA approved the development of Proba-3, a mission to demonstrate autonomous formation flying by spacecraft. Scheduled for launch in 2016, Proba-3 will feature two satellites that will fly in formation, maintaining a positional accuracy of a few millimeters at separation distances of up to 150 meters (500 feet) without any intervention from the ground.

Read More


2011 – United States Government Space Budget Overview – Snapshot

For all of FY 2011, the U.S. government operated under a series of budget measures known as Continuing Resolutions (CRs), culminating in the passage of Public Law 112-10, the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011. A CR is a type of appropriations legislation passed by Congress to fund the government when a formal appropriations bill for the next fiscal year has not been passed and signed into law by the close of the preceding government fiscal year. Generally, a CR provides funding for existing government programs at the prior year’s funding level or at a reduction.

Read More


2011 – China’s Human Launch Efforts – Snapshot

China is the only nation other than Russia to currently operate a human spaceflight system. In 2011, China placed its first modular space laboratory into orbit with the launch of the Tiangong-1 laboratory in September. The Tiangong module, whose name means “heavenly palace” in Mandarin, is about the size of a city bus. Following Tiangong-1, China launched an uncrewed Shenzhou-8 spacecraft. Following two days of maneuvers as Shenzhou-8 adjusted its orbit to meet up with Tiangong-1, the spacecraft conducted a successful, and technically challenging, automated docking procedure. This successful rendezvous and docking is a major milestone toward China’s long-term goal of establishing a permanent modular space station by the end of the decade.

Read More


2011 – Other Technology Efforts Snapshot

There is a wide range of technology development in the public and private sectors related to space infrastructure. One of the largest efforts is within NASA’s Office of the Chief Technologist (OCT), an office created by NASA in 2010 to centralize and coordinate the agency’s technology development efforts.

Read More


2011 – Government Space Budgets Overview Snapshot

Overall government investment in space remains strong and growing, although the effect of smaller budgets is being seen in some places, including the United States, where 2011 government space spending was below the 2010 level. While the United States remains responsible for ##% of global government space spending, other governments appropriate significant amounts. Some, such as Brazil, Israel, and Russia, are on the cusp or in the midst of major increases in government space appropriations. Government space programs accounted for approximately $## billion in spending during 2011, which represents ##% of the total global space economy.

Read More


2011 – On-Orbit Servicing Snapshot

Once launched, satellites generally cannot be refueled or repaired. Satellites have lifetimes limited by the amount of propellant they can carry on board to maintain their orbits. A failure of a key system on a satellite can partially or totally disable the spacecraft, causing a disruption in service and potentially creating a hazard for other satellites.

Read More


2011 – Perspective – Snapshot

For half a century, human beings have been traveling to and from Earth’s orbit. Since the April 12, 1961 flight of Yuri Gagarin, 523 spacefarers from 34 countries have flown in space. The applications and services generated by space activities have become an integral aspect of life on Earth.

Read More


2011 – Galileo – Snapshot

The European Union (EU) is developing a PNT system called Galileo. The Galileo constellation will consist of ## operational satellites and three in-orbit spares. In October 2011, the first ## Galileo in-orbit validation (IOV) satellites were launched, and ## more IOV spacecraft were scheduled to launch by mid-2012. The initial Galileo constellation is expected to be in place between 2014 and 2016. However, financing may be a concern. The EU has already approved contracts for ## additional satellites with OHB of Germany, but the number of additional satellites that can be ordered depends in part on the European Commission’s calculation of exactly how much money remains in the seven-year budget, with the next budget commencing in 2014.

Read More