Snapshot
2009 – United Kingdom Government Space Budget – Snapshot
In the United Kingdom, responsibility for space activities is distributed across several agencies. Through 2009, space activities in the United Kingdom were coordinated by the British National Space Centre (BNSC), although individual agencies retain control of their own budgets. In December 2009, Britain’s Science Minister announced a decision to establish a dedicated British space agency to direct the country’s space policy, although the exact date this agency will begin to operate is unknown.
2009 – Spanish Government Space Budget – Snapshot
The Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), the primary organization responsible for space activities in Spain, oversaw a budget of €## million (US$## million) in 2009. This budget included €## million (US$## million) in appropriations from Spain’s national budget, and €## million (US$## million) in expected revenue from other sources, including INTA’s own commercial operations. The 2009 INTA appropriation from the Spanish national budget is essentially unchanged from the previous year.
2009 – Italian Government Space Budget – Snapshot
The Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), Italy’s space agency, managed a budget of €## million (US$## million) in 2009, excluding contributions made to ESA. This represents a ##% percent increase from ASI-only spending totaling €## million (US$## million) in 2008. Italy’s contribution to ESA totaled €## million (US$## million) in 2009, an increase of ##% from 2008. Combined, the ASI budget and Italy’s ESA contribution total €##million (US$## billion), representing approximately ##% of Italy’s planned 2009 budget of €## billion (US$## billion).
2009 – German Government Space Budget – Snapshot
The Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Germany’s national space agency, oversaw an authorized budget of €## million (US$## million) in 2009, excluding contributions made to ESA. This represents a ##% increase from DLR-only spending of €## million in 2008. Most major line items within the DLR budget received an increase in 2009, including the National Space Program for investments in satellite communications systems, Earth observation, and space-related ground infrastructure. In addition to the DLR-only spending, Germany made €## million (US$## million) in ESA contributions in 2009. Combined, the DLR authorization and ESA contribution total €## billion (US$## billion), representing approximately ##% of Germany’s 2009 budget of €## billion (US$## billion).
2009 – French Government Space Budget -Snapshot
France’s space agency, the Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES), operated on a budget of approximately €## million (US$## billion) in 2009, excluding contributions made to ESA. This represented a ##% percent increase from the 2008 budget of €## million. In 2009, France contributed €## million (US$## billion) to ESA programs. Combined, the CNES budget and the French contribution to ESA total €## billion (US$## billion), representing approximately ##% of France’s €## billion (US$## billion) national budget in 2009.
2009 – European Space Agency Budget – Snapshot
With 18 member states, ESA had a 2009 budget of €## billion (US$## billion), approximately ##% more than the 2008 budget of €## billion (US$## billion). The largest ESA funding line items are the Ariane and Vega launch vehicles, at ##% of ESA’s 2009 budget, and Earth observation activities at ##% of the budget, including projects such as the European Remote Sensing series of satellites, the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity satellite, and the new Sentinel series of satellites to be developed in connection with GMES.
2009 – European Commission Space Budget – Snapshot
The 2009 budget of the European Commission includes €## billion (US$## billion) in funding for space-related programs. The EC space-related budget focuses on three primary areas: space research, security research, and European satellite navigation programs. The space and security research areas are executed through the EC’s Seventh Framework Program, which provides research and development funding to European Union member states on a competitive basis.
2009 – South Korean Workforce – Snapshot
One of the most important stated goals of the South Korean space program is to develop domestic aerospace capabilities, specifically the capacity to manufacture and launch satellites. South Korea hopes to do this by investing in aerospace research and development and by strategically leveraging international partnerships.
2009 – Chinese Government Space Budget – Snapshot
The Chinese civil space budget is not published, and estimates of spending vary widely. In 2005, the vice administrator of the China National Space Administration (CNSA) stated that the Chinese space budget was US$## million. However, many analysts contend that annual Chinese civil space spending is in fact considerably higher, reaching as much as US$## billion. China has demonstrated dramatic space progress in the past decade, which likely can be linked to growing space expenditures through the CNSA.
2009 – Top-level Trends – Snapshot
As nations around the world increase investment in both space activity and space human capital infrastructure, traditional models of space education and workforce development are increasingly being supplemented by newer approaches. These approaches emphasize the potential for international space education cooperation and focus on engaging student interest in space at an early age.