2007
2007 – Ground Networks
Ground station infrastructure is a key component of space systems providing command control, tracking, and telemetry services for launch vehicles, satellites, and other platforms. Worldwide tracking systems operated by government agencies support launch command and control. In addition, space situational awareness systems like the U.S. Space Surveillance Network track space debris and assist with collision avoidance.
2007 – U.S. Spaceports
Oklahoma Spaceport received an FAA license for suborbital flights in June 2006. Blue Origin, founded by Amazon.com’s Jeff Bezos, received an experimental permit in 2006 for its West Texas launch site. The first test flight from Blue Origin’s facility was conducted on November 13 of the same year.
2007 – Spaceports Overview
The availability of U.S. launch sites continued to expand in 2006 and 2007 with the addition of several non-federally funded spaceports. Internationally, there are numerous launch sites both planned and in operation around the world. Exhibit 3n lists current major international launch sites as compiled by the Teal Group and Astronautix.
2007 – Perspective
Space has been transformed from an entirely government dominated research and development (R&D) program to an industry whose revenues from commercial goods and services are more than one-half of its business, as is illustrated in Exhibit 5d.
2007 – Commercial Human Spaceflight
While the personal spaceflight market is still in its early stages, revenue continues to accumulate for individual trips and as deposits for future flights. Charles Simonyi, by his own account, paid $## million for his 2007 flight to the ISS. Alex Tai, chief operating officer of Virgin Galactic, a spaceline offering suborbital flights, reported in late 2007 that the company had collected $## million in deposits for future suborbital trips aboard SpaceShipTwo.
2007 – Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Services
Sales of GPS equipment and chipsets grew ##% in 2007, reaching an estimated $## billion in revenue. Of the estimated $## billion in economic activity in the global space economy, GPS equipment sales account for ##%. ABI Research estimates the total GPS equipment market to be $## billion in 2007. However, this includes $## billion in revenue from mobile phones that incorporate a GPS chipset. These are not included in the totals for global space activity because GPS capabilities are secondary applications of these devices.
2007 – Earth Observation
BCC Research, a market analysis firm, reports that revenue for all remote sensing products exceeded $# billion in 2006. In a separate study, the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) estimates that the space component of the total remote sensing market is nearly ##%.
2007 – Satellite Television
DTH television had a strong growth year, with total global revenue of $## billion and a total of ## million subscribers, as estimated by In-Stat, a digital communications market research firm. This represented an ##% increase over 2006 estimated revenue. The exhibit Satellite Direct-to-Home Television Revenue compares 2006 and 2007 revenue for DIRECTV and DISH Network Corporation, two major North American providers.
2007 – Satellite Radio
Total 2007 revenue for digital audio radio services (DARS) or satellite radio is approximately $## billion, a ##% increase over 2006. This number is the sum of XM Satellite Radio ($## billion), SIRIUS Satellite Radio ($## million), and WorldSpace Satellite Radio ($## million).
2007 – Satellite Communications
Communications satellite services are comprised of fixed satellite services, mobile satellite services, satellite radio, television services, and data communications. DTH television is the largest segment of communications satellite services with ##% of total communications satellite revenue.