Germany
Conversations of Space Robots and Explorers in Social Media
Social media and space agency public relations worked together to bring awareness of space program activities by endowing personality to robots flying through space. “Namaste, @MarsOrbiter!” displayed a playful tenor in one of the first friendly greetings given to India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) satellite from NASA’s ground-hugging Mars Curiosity rover.
Courier Coordination and Tracking
Some online retailers are trying their best to deliver goods within two days of an order. One small, same-day courier service, tiramizoo, is attempting to heighten delivery expectations and beat other delivery services by embracing the benefits of satellite navigation technology and online maps.
2014 – German Government Space Budget
Germany’s civil space program is overseen by the Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR or German Aerospace Center), which acts as Germany’s space agency as well as conducting research in its other core areas of aeronautics, energy, and transportation. DLR’s 2014 national space budget was €## million (US$## million) and its research and technology budget amounted to €## million (US$## million). Germany’s total 2014 civil space budget—including its contribution to the European Space Agency—was €## billion (US$## billion), a ##% increase over its 2013 civil space budget of €## billion (US$## billion).
2014 – Government Space Budgets Overview
On a global level, government investment in space increased #% to $## billion. Because not all governments operate under the same fiscal cycle, space spending numbers were derived from the most recent budgetary information available for each country. As in previous years, the growth was not uniform, with some countries reducing the funding available for space activity, as shown below. The figures reported in the following country profiles are presented in both the local currency and U.S. dollars as of June 30 of the appropriate year.
Economy: Space Economy – TSR 2014
2013 – Government Space Budgets Overview
Government space programs accounted for approximately $## billion in spending during 2013, representing ##% of the global space economy. Government investment in space decreased by ##% in 2013, contributing to a cumulative average annual growth rate of ##% between 2009 and 2013. The top-line figures, however, do not fully depict how some countries have significantly increased space spending while others have made cuts, as shown in Exhibit 2n. Because not all governments operate under the same fiscal cycle, international space spending numbers were derived from the most recent budgetary information available for each country. The figures reported in the following country profiles are presented in both the local currency and U.S. dollars as of June 30 of the appropriate year.
2013 – Military Communications
Dedicated and secure communications links are vital to defense agencies around the world. Increasing demand for capacity—particularly secure connectivity using non-commercial frequency bands—has driven the deployment of dedicated military communications satellites. The U.S. military buys a significant portion of its capacity from commercial operators such as Intelsat and SES. However, the United States also relies on military-specific systems such as the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) program, supplying dedicated communications to U.S. and allied military forces around the globe.
2013 – German Government Space Budget
The Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Germany’s national space agency, oversaw an authorized space-related budget of €## million (US$## million) in 2013, excluding contributions made to ESA. This represents an increase of ##% from 2012. In addition to DLR-only spending, Germany made €## million (US$## billion) in ESA contributions in 2013. Combined, the DLR authorization and ESA contribution totaled €## billion (US$## billion), representing approximately ##% of Germany’s 2013 budget of €## billion ($## billion).
2013 – Number of First-Degrees Awarded
The number of STEM first-degree (bachelor’s equivalent) graduates in many space-relevant countries has increased in recent years. The disciplines included here are physical, biological, and computer science; engineering; and mathematics.
2013 – Demographics
Science and engineering courses offered at the secondary school level are important for preparing students to pursue STEM degrees. Not only may students with more exposure be more likely to pursue a STEM degree upon reaching university, but research suggests that they are more likely to actually complete that degree.