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Commercial Space Launch Activity
The first licensed commercial space launch occurred in the United States in March 1989 when a Starfire suborbital vehicle carried aloft the Consort 1 payload from White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. By the end of 2011, the DOT/FAA had licensed 205 orbital and suborbital commercial launches. From 1989, the number of annual launches increased each year through 1997 with a high that year of 24 launches. Beginning in 1998, launch activity leveled off, and even began to decline on an annual basis. Launches peaked again during the 20072008 period. For historical and forecast launch and satellite data, see Table 41-1 and Figures 41-4, 41-5, and 41-6.
Until the 1990s, most commercial satellites were telecommunications orbiters that were placed in geostationary orbit (GSO). Since 1997,
satellites have also been placed in low earth orbit (LEO) or nongeosynchronous orbit (NGEO)31 in order to serve new markets in commercial mobile telephones, data messaging, and remote sensing.
Launch forecasts consider five payload categories, defined by the type of service the spacecraft are designed to offer:
1. Commercial telecommunications;
2. Commercial remote sensing;
3. Science and engineering;
4. Commercial cargo and crew transportation services;
5. Other payloads launched commercially.
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FIGURE 41-5 2011 and historical NGSO payloads and launches. |
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FIGURE 41-6 Combined 2011 GSO and NGSO historical launches and launch forecasts. |
Commercial launch demand is driven by activity in the global satellite market, ranging from customer needs and the introduction of new applications to satellite lifespan and regional economic conditions. The GSO market is served by both medium and heavy lift launch vehicles, for which there is a constant commercial customer demand for telecommunications satellites. The NGSO market is served by small, medium, and heavy lift launch vehicles and has a wider variety of satellite and payload missions, but also has more demand fluctuation.
Globally, the United States lags both Europe and Russia in commercial launches. In 2010, for instance, there were 23 launches worldwide: 13 in Russia (57%), 6 by Europe (26%), and 4 for the United States (17%).