2010


2010 – U.S. Education Trends – Snapshot

Considered together, recent NASA and U.S. aerospace company hiring statistics indicate that there is a combined demand for thousands of new S&E workers each year in the United States, a growing proportion of whom are aged 35 or less. These new hires will most likely need at least a bachelor’s degree, and many will require either a master’s or doctoral degree.

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2010 – India’s Launch Efforts – Snapshot

India conducted ## launches in 2010, up from two in 2009. However, ## of the ## in 2010 were unsuccessful. The ## ## used the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle to carry into orbit two remote sensing satellites, one of which was Indian and the other Algerian, along with several small technology demonstration craft. 

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2010 – Japan’s Launch Efforts – Snapshot

Japan conducted ## successful launches of its H-IIA rocket, compared with ## launches in 2009. The Japanese space program was also able to end a launch window restriction at its Tanegashima launch facility, which had limited launches for much of the year.

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2010 – Europe Launch Efforts – Snapshot

In 2010, Europe launched ## rockets, as compared to ## in 2009. Although a higher launch rate was planned, along with the debut of the Russian-built Soyuz from the European launch complex in Kourou, French Guiana, the European launch industry experienced a series of setbacks which kept it from meeting these goals.

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2010 – China’s Launch Efforts – Snapshot

China began the year with only a few missions publicly disclosed, but a series of unannounced launches in the second half of the year made 2010 China’s busiest year ever in terms of launch activity, exceeding its previous national record of ## launches in 2008. While China had only launched ## rockets by the end of July, it carried out ## launches in the following three months.

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2010 – Russia’s Launch Effort – Snapshot

The Russian space program maintained its historically high launch rate while continuing development of its new spaceport and launch vehicles. Over the course of 2010, Russia conducted ## orbital launches, up from ## in 2009, using such longstanding vehicles as the Proton and Soyuz. Russia is developing ## new rocket systems to meet its needs for the future and is also working to launch the Soyuz 2 rocket from the existing European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. 

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2010 – Japanese Space Industry Employment – Snapshot

According to data from the Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies (SJAC), Japan’s space employment dropped precipitously between 2007 and 2008, but then rebounded even more sharply from 2008 to 2009, as shown in Exhibit 4l. The SJAC calculated a ##% decline in industry employment, from ## in 2007 to ## in 2008—the largest year-on-year decline since 1996, with more than ## positions eliminated.

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2010 – U.S. Launch Efforts – Snapshot

The U.S. launch industry sustained a healthy rate of launches and saw the successful debut of ## new rockets, the Falcon 9 and the Minotaur IV. The United States accounted for ## launches in 2010, below the 2009 level of ## launches but comparable to its 2005-2009 average of ## launches a year. 

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