...a surprisingly robust single-year expansion of 12.2 percent and five-year growth of 41 percent* in a global economy that has been suppressed in many other sectors. The new global space economic numbers come from the Space Foundation's publication, The Space Report 2012: The Authoritative Guide to Global Space Activity, which was released to the news media today and will be released to the general public next week at the 28th National Space Symposium.
The $289.77 billion total comprises worldwide commercial revenues and government budgets compiled from original research and a wide variety of public and private sources and analyzed by Space Foundation researchers. "The Space Foundation believes strongly that space is good business, with vast social and economic benefit," said Space Foundation Chief Executive Officer Elliot Pulham. "These data, demonstrating vigorous year-over-year growth in products, services and economic activity -- proves it."
The primary growth engine was, once again, in the commercial segments of the global space economy. Space infrastructure and support industries increased nearly 22 percent and space products and services grew almost 9 percent. The biggest growth continued to be driven by global consumer demand for two space-derived products and services: GPS devices and chipsets and direct-to-home (DTH) television.
Commercial space companies' stocks also out-performed the marketplace in 2011. As of December 2011, the Space Foundation Index, which is reported continuously on the Space Foundation website and analyzed in The Space Report, was 17.39 percent above its value at inception in June 2005. All three of the Space Foundation Indexes, which can be found at www.SpaceFoundation.org/spaceindex, outperformed the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ during 2011.
According to The Space Report, overall governmental space spending grew by 6 percent globally, although changes varied significantly from country to country. India, Russia and Brazil each increased government space spending by more than 20 percent, while other nations, including the United States and Japan, saw very little change from previous years. "Sadly," said Pulham, "these data reflect a continuation of the trend that sees the U.S. losing ground compared to other spacefaring nations, including both established and emerging space powers."
Published annually by the Space Foundation, The Space Report is the definitive body of information about the global space industry. It serves as a valuable resource for government and business leaders, educators, financial analysts, students and space-related businesses. For a limited time, it can be purchased—in print, on CD-ROM or as a downloadable PDF—for $69.50, a 50 percent discount off the list price. Purchases can be made online at www.TheSpaceReport.org or onsite at 28th National Space Symposium. Multi-user licenses for schools and businesses, academic pricing and discounted previous editions of The Space Report are also available via online purchase.
