Snapshot
2017 – United States Government Space Budget – Snapshot
The United States spent $43.3 billion on space activities in fiscal year (FY) 2017, which ran from October 1, 2016, through September 30, 2017. This was a . . .
2017 – Commercial Space Products and Services – Snapshot
In 2017, commercial space products and services generated $211.45 billion in revenues, 7.3% more than 2016. This category focuses on . . .
2017 – Space Insurance – Snapshot
Satellite and launch insurance allows the private sector to manage some of the risk involved in launching and operating satellites, including launch anomalies and damage caused by space weather, debris, or other events in orbit. In 2017, approximately . . .
2017 – Satellite Manufacturing – Snapshot
Among the 443 spacecraft launched in 2017, there were 267 commercial payloads, constituting 60.3% of the total. This was more than . . .
2016 – U.S. Missile Defense – Snapshot
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA), headquartered in the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, conducts acquisition and testing of systems to defend the United States against incoming missiles. This mission was formally enshrined in the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) announced in 1983.
2016 – Satellite Television – Snapshot
Satellites in geostationary orbit are capable of broadcasting signals over very large areas, making them ideal for distribution of television and radio signals around the world. Satellite…
2016 – Military Reconnaissance – Snapshot
Earth observation used to be the domain of a nation’s civil agencies and military. In 2016, ## spacecraft were launched or deployed in the Earth’s orbit. More than ##, ##, of those spacecraft were launched with an Earth observation mission. Some commercial Earth observation satellites even carry infrared sensor payloads, which at one time were only found aboard the military’s…
2016 – Meteorology – Snapshot
For all of the importance placed on meteorological satellites, they made up a very small part of the ## Earth observation/remote sensing satellites placed in Earth’s orbit during 2016. With a total of ## satellites, ## meteorological-focused satellites were launched or deployed in 2016 than in 2015, during which ## of the satellites with this core mission were deployed. The…
2016 – Indian Space Employment – Snapshot
In India, a significant amount of space activity takes place within the Department of Space, which includes the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and its government-owned commercial…
2016 – Surface Imaging – Snapshot
The majority of Earth observation satellites launched in 2016 were ##. Only ## of the ## Earth observation satellites had a launch mass of ### kilograms (### pounds) or more. The number of Earth observation satellites with a mass between ## and ## kilograms (##–## pounds) launched in 2016 was ##. Together, the Earth…