The Satellite Industry Association (SIA) released its annual Satellite Industry Indicators Survey results today, announcing the steady growth of the U.S. Satellite Industry in 2001. Commenting on the state of the satellite industry, SIA President Richard DalBello asserted: “During these times of tremendous instability in the telecommunications industry, it is encouraging to know that the satellite industry continues to experience overall revenue growth”.
According to the study, satellite services segment remains the largest and fastest growing of the industry, generating a total of $46.4 billion in revenue – an 18 percent increase over 2000. $7.2 billion of the service revenues were from transponder leasing by satellite operators and $39.2 billion of the revenue from subscription satellite services.
The manufacture of satellite-related ground equipment in 2001 accounted for $19.6 billion of the global industry’s total revenue – an increase of 12 percent over 2000 revenue.
Satellite manufacturing in the U.S., including payments to satellite prime contractors and their subcontractors, accounted for $5.5 billion of the $14.1 billion in global revenue. The U.S. launch services industry generated $1.7 billion in 2001 accounting for roughly 34 percent of the global launch revenues.
U. S. launch and manufacturing industry revenues in 2001 declined at a greater rate than the global average was the result of a number of complex factors, including: the increased competitiveness of foreign suppliers, the fluctuation of international exchange rates, and a continued global perception that US satellite export control laws are a barrier to commerce.
Although activity in the launch and satellite manufacturing industries contracted in 2001, DalBello noted that: “the demand for replacement satellites and the introduction of new satellite services should result in a significant recovery in 2002 and 2003”.
The statistics from the annual Satellite Industry Indicators Survey were compiled by SIA and the Futron Corporation by polling companies in every sector of the commercial satellite industry, to determine aggregate revenue, employment, and output indicators.
The study results include indicators for each major segment of the satellite industry including satellite manufacturing, launch services, satellite services, and ground equipment manufacturing.
SIA is a national trade association representing the leading U.S. satellite manufacturers, service providers, and launch service companies. SIA serves as an advocate for the U.S. commercial satellite industry on regulatory and policy issues common to its members. With member service companies providing a broad range of manufactured products and services, SIA represents the unified voice of the U.S. commercial satellite industry. Futron Corporation is a technology management-consulting firm headquartered in Bethesda, MD. Futron specializes in the space industry, including assessments and forecasting of trends in satellite services and the launch market.
