Appendix
Civil Space Spending in Africa (USD), 2021
Although the continent’s total space spending is a small fraction of global spending, Africa is quickly becoming a space powerhouse. The African Union’s Agenda 2063 includes the Africa Outer Space Strategy as one of 15 flagship projects “to [accelerate] Africa’s economic growth and development.”
Space Insurance Industry Estimates, 2001-2021
In 2021, despite high-profile insurance claims on numerous satellites. . . Net premiums totaled $537 million, and incurred losses were $362 million.
Spacecraft Value by Market, 2017-2021
Commercial spacecraft manufacturing revenue was estimated to be $4.3 billion in 2021, an increase of 6% over the estimated $4 billion in revenue in 2020. The growth from 2020 to 2021 reflects the increase in the number of payloads launched, while also recognizing efficiencies and cost-savings achieved by companies utilizing small satellite technology and mass manufacturing techniques.
Orbital Launch Attempts, 2021
Of the 55 commercial launches attempted in 2021, 31 occurred in the United States. Of these, 23 were carried out by SpaceX, all of which were successful. China and Russia each conducted nine commercial launches in 2021. All six Russian launches were conducted on the Soyuz launch vehicle, and all were successful.
Launch Services Value by Market, 2017-2021
There were 145 launch attempts in 2021, 135 of which were fully or partially successful. This is an increase of 27% from 2020, when 114 launch attempts took place. Commercial launches —those carried out for a non-government customer — accounted for 55 attempts, 49 of which were successful.
Non-NASA U.S. Civil Space Spending by Agency, 2020-2022
Civil government spending in the U.S. increased 3%. The Department of the Interior’s space budget was held flat in 2021, while the Department of Commerce and the National Science Foundation only increased spending by 1% and 0.3%, respectively. The Department of Transportation, which has the smallest share of U.S. civil space spending, had its budget slashed by 21% in 2021.
Civil Space Spending in Latin America, 2021
Space spending for the five Latin American countries included in Space Foundation analysis grew 23% to $121 million. Out of the five nations, two saw large budget increases while the other three reduced spending in their respective currencies.
Launches by Nation Jan. 1 to June 30, 2022
American firms led the world for launches in the first half of 2022 with 39, including 27 launches from SpaceX.
Payload Launches by Mission Type, Jan.-June, 2022
In terms of payloads, the impact of commercial firms is far more striking. Of 1,022 spacecraft sent to orbit in the first half of the year, 958 were backed by commercial firms, accounting for nearly 94 percent of all spacecraft sent to orbit so far in 2022, up four percentage points from records set in 2021, Space Foundation research shows.
Launches by Mission Type, Jan.-June 2022
Including five launches that carried mixed payloads, commercial firms backed 36 missions to space in the first half of 2022, civil governments backed 26 and militaries footed the bill for 15, Space Foundation research shows. In all of 2021, itself a record year, commercial firms backed 56 launches.