Definition and Analysis of the International Commercial Spaceflight Industry, 2006-2009
- Paper number
IAC-10.E6.3.6
- Author
Mr. Paul Guthrie, The Tauri Group, United States
- Coauthor
Ms. Carissa Christensen, The Tauri Group, United States
- Coauthor
Mr. Jason Hay, The Tauri Group, United States
- Year
2010
- Abstract
Through exclusive access to proprietary information, this paper presents an uniquely accurate analysis of the emerging commercial spaceflight industry, building upon a dataset that extends back to 2006. The paper provides quantitative measures of the overall size of the industry by revenue; the amount of investment raised and spent; the relative percentage of investment sources; facility space devoted to these activities; and overall industry employment. The study that this paper summarizes was conducted with the cooperation of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF, formerly the Personal Spaceflight Federation) and its member companies. Data from non-member companies was also obtained for a broader and more global depiction of the industry. The purpose of the study is to provide an accurate picture of the commercial spaceflight industry that is useful to investors, entrepreneurs, regulators, media, and industry analysts. The methodology of the study included: • Collecting primary source data obtained through interviews with commercial spaceflight companies, augmented with open-source research. • Characterization by appropriate industry metrics such as traditional financial metrics (revenue, investment), as well as specialized metrics that yield insight on a small, emerging industry (facility space, sources of funding). • Aggregating company-level data and analyzing industry-level results. The cooperation of CSF, and the protection of individual organization data through aggregation and other measures, makes this measurement of the industry uniquely accurate. Results show cumulative investment levels committed to the industry through 2010; revenue and deposits for spaceflight services in 2009, and additional revenue to commercial spaceflight companies for hardware, hardware development, and support services. This paper will present the 2009 figures with increased international coverage, and provide insights and analysis of how these numbers reflect the maturing of this industry, and its role in the larger context of the space transportation industry.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-10.E6.3.6.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.