2011
2011 – ISS – Snapshot
The ISS provides a unique platform for humans where long-term scientific research and experiments can occur. The ISS is a project involving the United States, Russia, Japan, Canada, and 11 ESA member states. It is a research facility in LEO that can host a permanent crew of up to six people in its current configuration.
2011 – European Space Workforce – Snapshot
The nonprofit European space industry association Eurospace tracks European space employment through annual surveys of European space-related companies, as well as multinational space companies employing personnel in Europe. In 2010, the Eurospace methodology evolved to include more European companies, reclassify some companies formerly counted in one space industry sector to another, and reflect movement of some European space employees from one country to another. As a result, although European space employment posted growth between 2009 and 2010, some of the increase was due to the expanded number of companies surveyed. Similarly, some of the changes in European space employment by sector or country are attributable to differences between the new accounting and the old.
2011 – U.S. Space Workforce – Snapshot
The ongoing impacts of the economic slowdown and the reductions in NASA’s contractor workforce are not the only issues affecting U.S. space industry employees. The American aerospace workforce is aging. As shown in Exhibit 4k, the ages of both the NASA workforce and the broader aerospace workforce are clustered in the 40- to 60-year age range.
2011 – Italian Government Space Budget – Snapshot
The Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), Italy’s space agency, managed a planned budget of €## million (US$## million) in 2011, excluding contributions made to ESA.This represents a ##% increase from ASI-only planned spending of €## million (US$## million) in 2010. Italy’s contribution to ESA totaled €## million (US$## million) in 2011, an increase of ##% from 2010.
2011 – Communications Satellites Snapshot
2011 – Communications satellites have been a crucial part of the global telecommunications infrastructure for decades. They bridge the oceans and connect continents with international telephone calls, bring live video footage of major events to television studios, and connect the major network hubs … Thank you for visiting The Space Report! The Authoritative Guide to…
2011 – NASA Geographical Distribution Snapshot
As of July 2011, the number of employees associated with the shuttle program nationwide had dropped to approximately ## contractors and ## civil servants for a total of ## employees, compared to a high of ## during the 1990s. NASA workforce planners estimate that the number of shuttle contractors will be reduced to ## by the close of FY 2012, and from there to ## contractors during FY 2013.
2011 – The Development of a Space Spinoff Product Snapshot
Space products and services are an integral part of many activities and sectors throughout the global economy. Exhibit 1b shows seven major categories in which space products and services make a strong contribution. Within these categories, space products and services include items that rely on space assets to work.
2011 – NASA Workforce – Snapshot
In 2011, NASA’s Space Shuttle Program came to an end. The shuttle program had been a major source of employment for the U.S. aerospace workforce. Anticipating the retirement of the shuttle, NASA developed strategies and policies for the transition of the government and contractor workforce, expecting that when the shuttle program concluded, many of the associated professionals would transition to the Constellation Program. However, funding for the Constellation Program was cancelled under the U.S. fiscal year (FY) 2011 federal budget.
2011 – U.S. National Security Workforce – Snapshot
The BLS data characterizing the American space workforce does not include U.S. military space personnel, who constitute a dedicated “space cadre” maintained by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Implemented by the U.S. National Security Space Office (NSSO) in 2001 to address a perceived gap in national military space readiness, the DoD space cadre is designed to be a force of highly competent professionals skilled in the operational and tactical demands of the space medium, including the technical requirements of space vehicles, ground systems, and space systems.
2011 – U.S. Space Industry Salaries Snapshot
Space salaries have increased even as U.S. space employment has declined. In 2010, the combined average salary across the six core U.S. space industry sectors was $##. This was more than double the average 2010 U.S. private-sector salary of $##, reflecting the tendency of space jobs to require high levels of technical education and training that can generate high-value products and services.