Newswise — Worldwide space activity " and global implications for international competitiveness -- is the focus of a new issue of the Secure World Foundation's newsletter: The Secure World.
The Secure World spotlights the findings of two newly issued reports: The Space Report 2008: The Authoritative Guide to Global Space Activity, released by the Space Foundation of Colorado Springs, Colorado and the 2008 Space Competitiveness Index issued by the Futron Corporation of Bethesda, Maryland.
Both studies provide an informative backdrop that catalogs growth in civil, military and commercial space arenas.
On a global outlook, the Space Foundation guide reports that the global space economy in 2007 tallies over $251 billion. Furthermore, the report notes:
- Government space activity, while growing at a more gradual pace than commercial space activity, is no longer limited to programs run by a few superpowers;
- The shift from government being the primary source of funds for space research toward private investment has become pronounced over the past decade;
- If current trends continue, the commercial space sector will continue to grow in comparison to government space exploration and operations " potentially becoming the most important driver of overall space activities.
Futron's Index points out that advantages the United States has historically enjoyed in all three major dimensions of space competitiveness -- government, human capital, and industry -- are being narrowed by a robust Europe, a resurgent Russia, an emerging China and India, a steady Japan, and by the continued investment of smaller participants, such as Brazil, Canada, Israel, and South Korea, in space policy, space expertise, and space infrastructure.
"The reports issued by the Space Foundation and Futron help the Secure World Foundation (SWF) understand the health and potential future of existing and emerging space markets," said Phil Smith, SWF Director for Communications.
"Our focus at SWF is two-fold: to prevent the tools of war from entering space; and prevent the causes of conflict through cooperative government engagements and robust commercial activity," Smith said.
Transparency regarding space strategy and policy remains a problem, reducing the ability of commercial space actors to optimize investment and participate effectively in the industry, Smith noted.
"This is of particular concern to SWF for reasons that go beyond commercial interests. A lack of transparency and cooperation between governments on issues like trade in aerospace components and services, space traffic management, orbital debris mitigation and sharing of Earth observation data can promote distrust and misunderstanding that can lead to cool relations and, in worse case scenarios, conflict and war."
For SWF, the space industry is a substantial segment of the global economy, Smith added, one that can be severely compromised without international cooperation and goodwill. All space sectors, even military space spending depends on international developments in foreign policy and trade, he said.
"Space is a unique environment that forces this perspective upon governments, industries and citizens, and in so doing establishes a sense of hope and opportunity for our civilization," Smith concluded.
The Secure World Foundation promotes cooperative solutions for space security.
For more information on the Secure World Foundation, go to:http://www.secureworldfoundation.org
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