Perspective Archives

2010 – Metrics: Tracking a Maturing Industry

As the space industry has matured, space products and services have become an integral part of daily life, often without people realizing their role and impact. In the early years of the Space Age, space activities were, by virtue of their novelty and uniqueness, highly visible to policymakers and s… Thank you for visiting The…

2010 – Trends That Are Shaping Space Activity

This Dragon spacecraft orbited the Earth before reentering the atmosphere and landing less than one mile from the center of the landing zone in the Pacific Ocean. This achievement made SpaceX the first commercial company in history to safely return a spacecraft from orbit. Credit: SpaceX/ Mike Alten… Thank you for visiting The Space Report!…

2009 – Cosmic Discovery: Space Science and Exploration

One of the fundamental rationales for spaceflight is to support science and exploration: to study distant worlds, perform research in new environments, and expand our knowledge of the origin and nature of our planet, solar system, and universe. The frontiers of this research are ever-expanding, both… Thank you for visiting The Space Report! The Authoritative…

2009 – Military Space Activities

Militaries around the globe use space as a force multiplier, a capability that significantly increases the efficiency of other military assets, thereby enhancing the probability of mission success with minimal casualties. Military space capabilities increase the effectiveness of traditional air, gro… Thank you for visiting The Space Report! The Authoritative Guide to Global Space Activity,…

2009 – Expanding Human Boundaries

For the majority of the space era, human spaceflight was pursued solely by the United States and Russia, or the former Soviet Union. This exclusive club is likely to expand significantly in the future. China has joined the group of nations with orbital human spaceflight capabilities, and in the Unit… Thank you for visiting The…

2009 – Broadening Participation: New Capacities, Policies, and Relationships

Note: This section’s exhibits are from The Space Report 2010. Countries are increasingly pursuing active space programs as political leaders come to view space as a critical component of national development. In 1960 the United States and the Soviet Union were the world’s only spacefaring nat… Thank you for visiting The Space Report! The…

2009 – Perspective

Connections between people are the foundation of society. Whether by telephone, internet, or face-to-face conversation, people have an innate desire to communicate with friends, family, colleagues, and contacts near or far. Corporations stake their credibility and competitiveness on how well they share data or provide connectivity to their customers.

2008 – Perspective

2008 was a challenging year for the world in many ways, and the space industry has not been immune to these challenges. Despite the systemic problems besetting the economy, positive developments in global space activity point to a continuing robust role for space industry.

2008 – Cosmic Discovery: A Look Ahead

Two competing influences shape the near-term prospects of space astronomy: the burgeoning worldwide development of astronomical technology and human talent, and the decrease in governmental support for basic science brought on by economic and fiscal pressures. Probably the most significant event in … Thank you for visiting The Space Report! The Authoritative Guide to Global…

2008 – Space Economics: Investment

The credit crisis in 2008 reduced capital available to commercial companies interested in investing in the space sector. This crisis and the cooling down of economies around the globe has not yet dramatically impacted civil and defense spending, as U.S. and European governments continue with strong … Thank you for visiting The Space Report! The…