France
2014 – Land Imaging
Collectively, land-imaging satellites are systems used to observe, monitor, and track changes and developments on the Earth’s surface using a variety of optical or electronic imaging capabilities. Earth observation satellites may be distinguished from each other on the basis of spatial resolution—the level of detail their images are capable of recording. Another distinction is the sensor type, such as optical cameras, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), or various types of infrared and electronic imaging.
2014 – French Government Space Budget
France’s space agency, the Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES), had a 2014 budget of €## billion (US$## billion), which represented a 5% increase over its 2013 budget of €## billion (US$## billion). These funds were divided between domestic projects and contributions to ESA. The CNES budget for national programs was €## billion (US$## billion) and its budget for ESA programs was €## million (US$## billion). France incurred a debt to ESA about a decade ago and has been repaying those funds incrementally while maintaining its spending on ESA programs.
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 – Meteorology
Weather satellites are a major segment of remote sensing satellites. Most weather satellites are in GEO or polar LEO orbits and have traditionally been operated by national governments for near-term weather forecasting. However, austere government budgets have caused weather-focused agencies to struggle to sustain existing programs under reduced funding. Maintaining existing programs with old, albeit reliable, data acquisition capabilities potentially inhibits the development and introduction of new, higher quality instrumentation that could increase accuracy.
2013 – Satellite Radio
The estimated revenue for satellite radio increased ##% from $## billion in 2012 to $## billion in 2013. Sirius XM continues to be the sole revenue contributor to this industry sector. The company derived subscriber growth from installations in vehicles and homes and businesses. In Europe, France-based Onde Numerique last reported in November 2012 that it will launch its new satellite radio service in 2014 in about 140 cities.
2013 – French Government Space Budget
France’s space agency, the Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES), operated on an authorized government budget of €## million (US$## million) in 2013, excluding contributions made to ESA and EUMETSAT. This represented a ##% decrease from the 2012 budget of €## million (US$## million). CNES budgets are divided into two financial programs. Program 191 covers dual-use civil and military space programs and is funded through the French defense ministry. Program 193 covers civil space programs, including ESA and EUMETSAT contributions, and is funded through the French research ministry.
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.