Economy
2008 – Commercial Space Products and Services – Snapshot
Total revenue for space products and services in 2008 is estimated at $## billion, ##% more than the $## billion in 2007. This estimate takes into account the transition of GPS revenues to the ground equipment sector, as noted above. Space products and services encompass commercial satellite services and in-space activities such as orbital and suborbital commercial transportation services. The exhibit below shows 2008 revenue estimates for this sector.
2008 – Space Insurance – Snapshot
The satellite insurance industry had a positive year in 2008 due to successful launch experience. Launch insurance prices increased for 2009, bringing rates from the ##-##% range back up to the ##-##% levels seen in the earlier part of the decade. According to XL Insurance, a space industry specialist, 2008 premiums were $## million, against $## million in claims. The upward pressure on premiums stemmed largely from events in 2007 when claims of $## million due to launch failures surpassed premiums of $## million.
2008 – Ground Stations and Receivers – Snapshot
The enhanced methodology employed this year eliminates potential double-counting of revenues that can occur because of separate, overlapping estimates for ground equipment and GPS equipment. Thus the total estimated 2008 revenue of $## billion appears lower than those reported as separate categories in The Space Report 2008.
2008 – Space Stations – Snapshot
Funding for the largest in-space platform, the International Space Station, is included in the government budgets of ISS partners. NASA, the largest contributor, allocated $## billion for the space station in fiscal year (FY) 2008 and requested $## billion for FY 2009. During 2008, two major modules were added to the ISS: the Japanese Kibo, which cost approximately $# billion to develop; and the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Columbus, which cost €880 million (US$## billion).
2008 – Satellite Manufacturing – Snapshot
In 2008, ## satellites were launched globally, down from ## satellites in 2007. The total number of satellites for 2008 and 2007 excludes robotic missions to the ISS and crewed missions. The estimated value of commercial and non-commercial satellites decreased by ##%, down to $## billion in 2008 from $## billion in 2007. The decrease in total value can be attributed primarily to a smaller number of high-value government satellites launched as compared to less-costly commercial satellites.
2008 – Launch Industry – Snapshot
The pace of operations in the launch industry was essentially unchanged in 2008 with ## total orbital launches carrying ## payloads. This compares with ## orbital launches in 2007 carrying ## payloads and continues a steady four-year increase in global space launch count. Each Space Shuttle mission is counted as a single payload. Of the ## launches in 2008, ## carried commercial payloads, ## carried non-commercial payloads.
2008 – Commercial Infrastructure and Support Industries – Snapshot
Revenue in 2008 for commercial space infrastructure, including launch vehicles, satellites, in-space platforms, ground equipment, and infrastructure support industries totaled $## billion. Space infrastructure revenue estimates are shown in the exhibit. Government budgets include funding for infrastructure and are addressed separately in Government Space Budgets.
2008 – Economy – Snapshot
The space industry continued to grow in 2008 with estimated global space revenues and government budgets reaching $## billion. This trend of growth has persisted since the Space Foundation began tracking global budgets and revenues for the industry in 2005. While past years have shown stronger growth, the trend remains positive despite the global economic crisis.
2008 – South Korean Government Space Budget – Snapshot
In 2008, South Korea spent an estimated ## billion won (US$## million) on civil space, approximately ##% of its national budget. In addition to scientific and remote sensing satellites, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute and the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology are funding the US$## million development of the country’s first orbital launch facility, the Naro Space Center, as well as the Korea Satellite Launch Vehicle.
2008 – Japanese Government Space Budget – Snapshot
The 2008 Japanese space budget was about US$## billion, approximately ##% of the country’s ¥## trillion (US$## billion) national budget. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) received US$2.08 billion. These funds are allocated to scientific and exploration missions including Planet C, a Venus exploration probe; GPM/DPR, a global precipitation measurement satellite; BepiColombo, a joint European-Japan Mercury mission; GCOM, a climate monitoring mission; and the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System for space-based communications and navigation. In addition, Japan continues development of the H-IIB vehicle, an enhanced version of its current H-IIA vehicle. The H-IIB booster will carry the H-II Transfer Vehicle, a cargo supply module, to the ISS.