III. INTENSITY: ACTIVITIES AND OUTPUTS IN THE SPACE ECONOMY 10. Space launch activities worldwide

Ten countries have so far demonstrated independent orbital earth observation, navigation, meteorological and other launch capabilities, and seven countries (i.e. the United scientific and military satellites and develop new launchers. States, the Russian Federation, China, Japan, India, Israel Already by the end of 2011, Europe could have three different and Iran) and the European Space Agency (ESA) have opera- rockets operating from its French Guiana spaceport tional launchers. More than 1 100 space launches took place (i.e. Ariane 5, the Russian Soyuz vehicle and the new smaller between 1994 and 2010, with the Russian Federation and the Vega launcher); India aims to enter the commercial market United States leading. From a high of 89 in 1994, the rate for geostationary satellites with a new rocket, and both declined in 2001 to an average of around 60 launches per Brazil and Korea aspire to develop their own national year. Seventy successful space launches occurred worldwide launchers over the next five years. in 2010 with 119 payloads onboard, although there were four rocket failures (India, Korea and the Russian Federation). The Russian Federation has launched more rockets than any other country every year since 2006 (Figure 10.1) and is plan- ning to launch 50 more satellites in 2011 alone. Countries in Methodological notes Asia led by China (15 launches in 2010, like the United Data are based on the Federal Aviation Administra- States) are gradually outdistancing Europe in terms of the tion’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation number of launches and payloads (Figure 10.2). As of 2011, (FAA/AST) and other public sources (Air&Cosmos, there are six companies able to commercially launch Space News). The data include worldwide orbital satellites to geostationary orbit (the most profitable orbit, launch events that are conducted during a given home to large commercial communications satellites): the calendar year, but not space shuttle launches, which European Arianespace company (the current market leader, carry astronauts (i.e. five space shuttle launches with the Ariane 5 launcher), the Russian Federation’s in 2010). International Launch Services (Proton launcher), the United States’ Lockheed Martin (Atlas V) and Boeing (Delta launch- ers), China Great Wall (Long March launchers) and Sea Launch, an international consortium (Norway, the Russian Federation, Ukraine and the United States) (Figure 10.3). Sources Other companies can launch satellites in lower orbits (e.g. Orbital Sciences) or are planning to (e.g. Space De Selding (2011), Space News, January. Exploration Technologies). SpaceX conducted in 2010 the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) (2011), Commercial first launch of its Falcon 9, but also sent the commercial Space Transportation: 2010 Year in Review, Federal Aviation Dragon test capsule into orbit, which successfully re-entered Administration’s Office of Commercial Space Transpor- the earth’s atmosphere and landed in the Pacific Ocean. tation (FAA/AST), Washington DC. Governments tend to prefer using domestic launcher when they have one, and not rely on foreign commercial providers Lardier (2011), Air&Cosmos, January. for their governmental payloads (military satellites, for examples). So the international market remains relatively Notes small despite the abundance of launchers. Revenues from the 23 commercial launch events in 2010 amounted to an 10.1: Asia: China, India, Japan. estimated USD 2.45 billion (Figure 10.4) (FAA, 2011). The 10.2: One additional successful launch (including one payload) from relatively lively activity of space launches worldwide should Israel took place in 2010. Four launches were unsuccessful (1 from continue over the next decade, as more governments fund Korea, 2 from India and 1 from the Russian Federation).

72 THE SPACE ECONOMY AT A GLANCE 2011 © OECD 2011 III. INTENSITY: ACTIVITIES AND OUTPUTS IN THE SPACE ECONOMY

10. Space launch activities worldwide

10.1 Number of successful space launches 10.2 International distribution of successful space (1994-2010) launches and payloads in 2010

Russian Federation United States Number of successful launches Europe Asia Others Number of payloads launched

50 2010 Russian Federation 45 45

40 30

35 Japan Europe

30 12 25 7 7 6 14 7 20 15 15 7 23 15 China United States 10

5

0 India

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

10.3 Commercial launch contracts signed in 2010 10.4 Launch industry revenues’ estimates Number of contracts which may include one Europe Russian Federation United States or more satellites to be launched over the coming years Multinational China USD billion 2.5 0.07

Arianespace (Europe) 10 0.307 0.28

2.0 0.298 International Launch Services (United States/ 7 0.475 0.826 Russian Federation) 1.5 0.07 0.15 0.215 0.742 China Great Wall Industry Corp. 3 (China) 0.35 0.477 1.0 0.14 0.581

Space Exploration 2 Technologies (United States) 0.374 1.32 0.5 1.02 0.84 Lockheed Martin 0.7 Commercial Launch Services 1 0.56 (United States) 0 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

THE SPACE ECONOMY AT A GLANCE 2011 © OECD 2011 73 From: The Space Economy at a Glance 2011

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OECD (2011), “Space launch activities worldwide”, in The Space Economy at a Glance 2011, OECD Publishing, Paris.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264113565-15-en

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