2011
2011 – U.S. Spaceports Snapshot
The Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida, is the only spaceport in the United States that currently supports orbital human spaceflight, and it has been dramatically affected by the end of the Space Shuttle Program. As the home of the shuttle, KSC has seen its workforce decrease significantly as the program ended. More than ## workers at KSC lost their jobs over the past two years.
2011 – Demographics – Snapshot
Both the government and industry space sectors in the United States show a high demand for STEM-educated professionals. As of December 2011, ## of NASA’s ## employees—##% of its civil servant workforce—worked in STEM-related fields, mainly as professionals working in engineering, mathematics, biological and physical sciences, or medicine.
2011 – Spaceports Overview Snapshot
Spaceport infrastructure in the United States is in transition as NASA makes changes at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to accommodate new launch systems in the post-shuttle era. Construction continued on new and upgraded facilities at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia, and Spaceport America in New Mexico. China and Russia also continued development of new spaceports during 2011.
2011 – U.S. Space-Related Education Trends – Snapshot
There is a broad consensus that high-quality STEM education is critical to producing a workforce capable of maintaining a competitive edge in numerous technological areas, including space. However, space leaders, elected officials, and government agencies in the United States have frequently expressed concerns that the supply of potential new STEM workers is not adequate to meet future demands.
2011 – Satellite Communications Snapshot
Estimated 2011 revenue for satellite communications reached $## billion, #% higher than the $## billion for 2010. The satellite communications segment includes both fixed satellite services and mobile satellite services. FSS refers to the delivery of satellite communications to stationary ground receivers that can be moved from one location to another but do not work while in transit. MSS systems can maintain a communications link with a mobile receiver, and include applications such as satellite telephones or in-flight communications. Both types carry video, voice, and data.
2011 – Space Policy: Programs and Progress Snapshot
As space activities across the globe become more dynamic—blending commercial, government, and cross-border activities—governments increasingly see a need for a formal space policy to provide a framework for coordination and integration of activities. Effective space policy can foster public interest… Thank you for visiting The Space Report! The Authoritative Guide to Global Space Activity, Packed…
2011 – Trends That Are Shaping Space Activity
The outlook for space activity is largely positive, in spite of the challenges facing many of the governments and agencies most active in space. In many ways, 2011 was a pivotal year as governments re-evaluated their human spaceflight plans and examined their portfolio of space activities in light o… Thank you for visiting The Space…
2011 – Japanese Government Space Budget Snapshot
In FY 2011, Japan allocated ¥## billion (US$## billion) for space programs across the government, a decrease of approximately ##% from the previous year’s total of ¥## billion. This represents approximately ##% of the country’s ¥## trillion (US$## trillion) national budget. Japanese space spending is allocated among several government ministries, coordinated through the Strategic Headquarters for Space Policy. In FY 2011, which ran from April 2011 until March 2012, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), funded through the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, operated with a budget of ¥## billion (US$## billion), representing approximately ##% of Japan’s space spending.
2011 – Other Space Employment Snapshot
In December 2011, Reuters reported that the Russian space workforce numbered 250,000 professionals, 90% of whom are older than 60 or younger than 30. Demographically, Russia faces a very different situation than the United States, where these two age groups make up less than 20% of the workforce.
2011 – Satellite Radio – Snapshot
The estimated revenue for satellite radio increased ##% from $## billion in 2010 to $## billion in 2011. Sirius XM is the sole contributor to the sector’s revenue for 2011, since WorldSpace exited the market in 2010 amid bankruptcy. Sirius XM continues to leverage its North American subscriber base through auto installations, while expanding into installations for homes, businesses, restaurants, and overseas.