By Xinhua
Colorado Springs, The United States : In 2007, global space economy registered a record-setting 251 billion U.S. dollars in revenues, according to a report released here on Tuesday by U.S. National Space Foundation.
Total global space industry revenues reached 251.16 billion in 2007, 11 percent increase from 2006, said “The Space Report 2008.”
“We are pleased to announce that since the original publication of The Space Report 2006, the global space economy has grown significantly, with double-digit increase each year,” said Elliot Pulham, president of the foundation.
“This year’s report clearly illustrate that in a business climate full of uncertainty and cutbacks, all sectors of space continue to grow and provide value to the global economy,” said Pulham.
Using the most recent statistics available from the U.S. federal government, the report also shows that U.S. space industry employment is growing and that the average annual wage within the industry is more than double the broader private sector average wage.
In 2006, U.S. space industry workers were paid an average annual wage of 88,200 U.S. dollars versus 42,400 U.S. dollars for average private sector employees.
In U.S., satellite-based products and services and government spending on space again comprise the two largest segments of the space industry at 55 percent and 25 percent of total revenues, respectively.
Founded in 1983, the Space Foundation is an international nonprofit organization. It is sponsoring the 24th National Space Symposium, the premier annual gathering of the global space community, here from April 7 to 10.