2018
Japanese Space Workforce, 2011-2021
Japan saw growth across all three of these sectors in the past year, with the largest growth, 12.8%, in software.
European Space Industry Employment, 2012-2022
Eurospace collects data through an annual survey of nearly 500 space organizations in Europe. Its analysis focuses on manufacturing of space systems, including launchers, spacecraft, and ground segments.
Space Workforce Trends in the United States, Europe, Japan, and India
The United States, Europe, and Japan have all seen net growth in their space workforce over the past decade, with steady increases in Europe, and more varied trends in the United States and Japan.
European Nations Lead with Space Workforce Growth from 2021 to 2022
Trends in the size and composition of the global space workforce provide a lens into the health and trajectory of the industry. While many countries do not collect or release data on their space workforce, several major space actors, including the United States, Europe, Japan, and India, publish this information annually.
Commercial Human Spaceflight, 2018-2022
Commercial human spaceflight revenues were estimated at $0.5 billion in 2022, which is reflected in this chart on human spaceflight.
Launches by Nation, 2014-2023
The second half of 2023 began with the launch of the European Space Agency’s Euclid telescope, designed to probe the universe’s dark matter. And several groundbreaking civil space missions remain on tap for the year.
Midyear Launch by Type, 2014-2023
The failures pale in comparison to the successes, with a record 55 commercial launches through the midyear point. The first half of 2023 also set a midyear mark for military launches with 19 worldwide, exceeding the record of 17 set in the first half of 2018. Civil government launches were down slightly, with 23 launches in the first half of 2023, compared to 26 in the first half of 2022.
Midyear Launch Trends, 2014-2023
The first half of 2023 saw 97 launches worldwide, setting a record pace despite delays for major rocket programs that pushed the debuts of two major launch vehicles later into the year and notable failures on launch for SpaceX’s Starship in America and Mitsubishi’s H3 in Japan.
Earth Observation Revenue, 2013-2022
Earth observation satellites circle the globe collecting images and information about the Earth. This information can be valuable for a wide array of applications such as fishing, mining, and weather forecasting. Some companies in this sector sell satellite observations and imagery directly, as individual products or as a more continuous downlink, while others focus on the sale of value-added products and services or big data analyses derived from the satellite data.
Space Insurance Industry Estimates, 2002-2022
Operating in the space sector involves risks. Space launch is complex and launch failures are possible, even for well-established vehicles. New vehicles typically carry even greater risk. Once spacecraft successfully reach orbit, issues may arise due to factors such as space weather, space debris and a crowded orbital environment. To deal with these risks, many companies in the space sector invest in space insurance. As of 2023, there were about 25 direct space insurance companies worldwide.