Economy
Commercial Infrastructure and Support Industries
2010 – Launch Industry – Snapshot
In 2010, ## orbital launches occurred carrying ## payloads into space. These payloads included satellites, other types of robotic spacecraft, and cargo and crew missions to the International Space Station (ISS). Compared to the ## launches that took place in 2009, the launch rate in 2010 represents a #% decrease, discontinuing a five-year annual average growth rate of #% from 2005-2009.
2010 – Commercial Infrastructure and Support Industries – Snapshot
Revenue for commercial space infrastructure, which includes launch services, satellite manufacturing, ground stations, and associated equipment, totaled $## billion in 2010. Information regarding government spending on space infrastructure can be found in Government Space Budgets.
Economy: Space Economy – TSR 2010
2009 – Commercial Human Spaceflight – Snapshot
Revenue from in-space activities derives mainly from commercial business taking place in space or transportation services to and from space. For example, governments plan to use the private sector to deliver cargo, and eventually astronauts, to the ISS. In the future, other in-space markets could include research and development services, manufacturing, satellite refueling, and orbital debris clean-up. Based on current in-orbit activity, there are three main categories: platform-based services, transportation-based services, and personal spaceflight.
2009 – Space Insurance – Snapshot
The satellite insurance industry saw profits decline in 2009 compared to 2008. XL Insurance, a space industry specialist, estimates that 2009 premiums totaled $## million, while 2009 insurance claims totaled $## million. Aon/ISB, an insurance brokerage, reported that 2009 premiums totaled approximately $## million and claims amounted to $## million. These estimates indicate that 2009 was a slightly more challenging year than 2008, when XL Insurance reported premiums of $## million, against $## million in claims.
2009 – Ground Stations and Receivers – Snapshot
Ground equipment encompasses all the Earth-based infrastructure and technology necessary to communicate with and manage satellites, a market that totaled an estimated $## billion in 2009, slightly less than the $## billion total for 2008.
2009 – Space Stations – Snapshot
The largest in-space platform is the International Space Station. NASA, the main contributor to the ISS, received $## billion for the station in fiscal year (FY) 2010 compared to $## billion approved by Congress in FY 2009. This funding does not include flight or ground operations costs of shuttle flights to and from the ISS. During 2009, two major modules were added: the final truss segment and a section of the solar array. The truss acts as the junction through which external utilities, such as power, communications, and ammonia for thermal control systems, are routed to the pressurized modules.
2009 – Satellite Manufacturing – Snapshot
In 2009, governments, companies, and organizations launched ## satellites, compared to ## satellites launched in 2008. This total includes all payloads except for missions to the ISS and Hubble. The ## satellites generated $## billion in manufacturing revenue, an increase of ##% from the $## billion value of satellites manufactured in 2008. The $## billion change in total value from 2008 to 2009 stems primarily from the deployment of high-value defense satellites, such as the U.S. Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS) ballistic missile warning satellites.
2009 – Launch Industry – Snapshot
In 2009, ## orbital launches were conducted, carrying ## payloads into space, including cargo, satellites, and other types of spacecraft. This marked a notable increase from the 2008 total of ## launches carrying 106 payloads, and continued a five-year trend of annual increases in launch activity. The 2005 total of ## launches and ## payloads began a period of #% average annual increase in launches. Of the ## launches in 2009, ## were conducted by commercial launch providers and ## were non-commercial.
2009 – Commercial Infrastructure and Support Industries – Snapshot
Aggregate 2009 revenue for commercial space infrastructure totaled $## billion. This figure includes revenue from satellite manufacturing, launch, and ground stations and equipment. Information regarding government infrastructure expenditures can be found in Government Space Budgets.