The Small Satellite Industry is expected to grow by billions by 2021!

The Small Satellite industry is expected to grow from $2.22 billion to $5.31 billion by 2021 at a CAGR of 19.14% from 2016 to 2021. Whatech.com featured market research as part of their telecommunications market research channel from RnR market research. This article is a summary of their findings.

According to Whatech.com, The small satellite market is driven by factors, such as the increasing focus on reducing mission costs as well as increasing demand for earth observation-related applications of small satellite. Various growth opportunities for the small satellite market include the proposed development of satellite networks to provide internet access to areas without broadband connectivity.

More important, the micro satellite is projected to be the fastest-growing segment in the small satellite market. These satellites are generally used for high precision and complex space missions, such as remote-sensing and navigation, maritime and transport management, space and earth observation, disasters management, military intelligence, telecommunication, and among other academic purpose. Tasks involving mapping and navigation is ultimately going to be the most valuable and important for the satellites to be used for. 

In previous articles, we've explored many companies that are currently utilizing small satellites or developing methods of reducing costs, personalization for specific missions and different regulations or policies being enacted in different countries regarding the small satellite industry. The market research conducted in this article predicts that the Asia-Pacific region is expected to exhibit the highest growth rate in the small satellite market during the forecast period from 2016 to 2021.

Here are Some Excellent Small Satellite Articles!

Small satellites are becoming more affordable and more usable for a variety of organizations that range from for profit to non-profit. As they become adopted at a faster rate, there are many articles that are covering this trend. Here are some articles that I came across that I found interesting regarding the small satellite space trend.

The first article is from The Space Review and it discusses India and ICBM's and the concern of an America small satellite launch. It discusses different forms of technology being used in the commercial launch market and specifically dealing with stored and unused intercontinental ballistic missiles and a US Trade Representative review of the continuing ban on US satellite launch aboard India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. It's an important read especially for those with market based interests.

The second article is from West Hawaii Today and it discusses a feasibility study regarding a small satellite launch facility on a Hawaii Island. This comes as legislators are advancing a bill that could boost the big island's aerospace capabilities. The bill was largely conceived in economic development committees and it will be interesting to see small satellites possibly helping speed the development of small satellites in Hawaii for its aerospace industry. This is a great read for those who follow policy.

The last article is from Phys.org is regarding a Swedish company introducing a new ground operations service for small satellites. It aims to lower the cost of launching small satellites by reducing the risks associated with it. The proposal was presented at the 32nd Space Convention in Colorado. This news continues the trend of newer developments made to increase efficiency of the process of launching small satellites and reducing costs even faster.


These are some great articles for following this trend. For more information, stay tuned in to Small Satellite Space News.

Subcommittee Discusses Small Satellites

Press Release From: House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Democrats 

Posted: Tuesday, April 19, 2016 

Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Space held a hearing titled, “The Commercial Launch Industry: Small Satellite Opportunities and Challenges.” Testifying before the Subcommittee were Mr. Elliot Pulham, Chief Executive Officer of the Space Foundation, and Mr. Eric Stallmer, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation.

Advances in miniaturization, coupled with greater use of off-the-shelf hardware components, have contributed to reducing the time and costs for developing small satellites. This has fostered significant growth in the small satellite industry, not only in the United States, but also abroad. Small satellites, also known as smallsats, range in mass from as little as 10 grams to as much as 500 kilograms. They are already being used to provide imagery collection for monitoring, analysis, and disaster response, with more applications on the horizon.

Congressman Marc Veasey (D-TX) said in his opening statement, “Smallsat[ellite]s are contributing to the emergence of new start-up companies that aim to provide rapid turn-around in services and technology advancement to improve and expand services at a lower cost, especially in the area of Earth observation and data provision. U.S. leadership in this emerging industry has the potential to both create jobs and economic growth for the nation and to serve as an important source of U.S. innovation in an increasingly competitive and changing global marketplace. Additionally, universities and government agencies are exploring the increased use of smallsats for research, education and training, technology development, and conduct of government operations.”

Witnesses and Democratic Members discussed a number of issues including, challenges in the smallsat market; how the use of dedicated small launch vehicles would increase the options available for smallsat users; policy issues associated with increasing the number of launch options, for example, facilitating access to Indian launchers or allowing the U.S. Air Force to make some portion of its excess Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) rocket motors available for purchase and use in commercial launches; the need to address the orbital debris problem; and the International Space Station’s unique ability to dispense smallsats for educational institutions.

Congressman Veasey added, “One of the major challenges smallsat users face, after developing and building the spacecraft, is finding a way to put the spacecraft in space, and to do so in an affordable and reliable manner…Unfortunately, smallsat users and operators are often constrained in their choice of launch options due to individual requirements, available budgets, and the unique characteristics of each option. As a result, smallsat users and operators must make tradeoffs between factors such as affordability, schedule, risk, and orbital placement.”

Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) addressed the need for the smallsat market to succeed because of its inspirational value, “I hope this panel can shed additional light on possible solutions to providing smallsat users and operators with more launch options, particularly those that are affordable. Because if this Nation is to maintain its global leadership in technology, we must facilitate the means by which our young are inspired to do great things. Small satellites, along with rocketry and robotics, provide the learning catalysts we so dearly seek and need.”

Please visit our website: http://democrats.science.house.gov

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Article retrieved from SpaceRef

Senate passes Space Act of 2015!

The Senate passed the Space Act of 2015 in order to allow asteroid mining. Lately, we’ve reported stories such as companies improving space travel and customizing space travel for companies to launch small satellites for a variety of purposes. Now the Senate has passed a bill that is defining rules so that companies would be allowed to extract resources from asteroids. This bill is expected to be approved by the House of Representatives before being moved on the president to sign. This is an exciting new measure that will lead to discussion, resource mining, and rules of engagement in space for the future.

Professor Frans von der Dunk is a teacher of space law at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Law’s LLM program in space, cyber and telecommunications law. Von der Dunk said the act was an “intriguing and exciting first careful step towards allowing private enterprise, taking into due account the international and public interests in space to start preparing for a new category of space activities: harvesting extraterrestrial resources.”

This newest legislation could further discussion regarding rules of engagement for how companies mining rare minerals from space can avoid interfering with other space resources. The mining could be harmful to other space activities. While not perfect, this act will cheapen space costs and allow rare materials to be harvested and brought back to Earth.

This is a wonderful new development that will allow for more ventures into space. These ventures could lead to more resources and contribute to more growth in space development for harvesting these resources. It’s an excellent opportunity to expand the space industry for private sector forces and create new demand for further education and innovation for this field.

Astronomers spot most distant object in the Solar system!

Move over Pluto! According to Science Magazine, Astronomers have spotted the most distant object in our solar system. This discovery could lead to the discovery of even more rogue planets that we haven’t detected yet. This dwarf planet has been designated V774104 and is between 500 and 1000 kilometers across. The next task for scientists will be to pin down the orbit of the planet.

Once the orbit of the planet is discovered, scientists will be able to classify the planet as belonging to a specific group in space. The group is classified by how close it orbits to the sun. It could join the icy planets that are near Neptune or it could join a rare group that currently has two worlds known as Sedna and 2012 VP113. However, the most interesting discovery will be figuring out what happened and what caused the object in the first place. This leaves more mystery to the discovery of this possible new planet.

NASA is hiring!

NASA is currently seeking new astronauts to go to Mars and the International Space Station. The announcement came this past Wednesday when NASA made the announcement. The agency is accepting applications between Dec. 14 and mid-February. Candidates will be selected in mid-2017. Applications can be sent via this webpage.

 According to Fortune:

“In anticipation of returning human spaceflight launches to American soil, and in preparation for the agency’s journey to Mars, NASA announced it will soon begin accepting applications for the next class of astronaut candidates,” NASA wrote in its recent post. “With more human spacecraft in development in the United States today than at any other time in history, future astronauts will launch once again from the Space Coast of Florida on American-made commercial spacecraft, and carry out deep-space exploration missions that will advance a future human mission to Mars.”

As a Florida resident, I’m excited because space travel is excellent for the state’s economy and it’s an honor to see such development in the industry here. I remember traveling to the Space Coast for launches into space. The job requirements are pretty intensive and generally are geared towards those with advanced degrees or bachelor’s degrees in fields such as mathematics and engineering and biological sciences. Candidates must also have at least 1,000 hours of pilot in command jet experience or three years of professionally related experience.

For the candidates that meet these requirements, this is the opportunity of a lifetime as NASA looks to save millions by traveling to the International Space Station. It’s also an amazing opportunity to be part of the growing space industry during one of its most successful periods.

BAE invests in Space Engine Firm

BBC reports that BAE Systems has purchased a 20% stake in a company developing a radical engine that could propel aircraft into space. BAE has paid 26 million dollars for the 20% stake in Reaction Engines, a company that is known for its rocket jet engine called Sabre. Rocket Engines hopes to develop a device that increases the efficiency of the launching of rockets. This efficiency is cutting the cost that it takes to launch them in the first place.

This latest innovation is again focused on the cost cutting aspect that small satellites are providing companies as well as public nonprofits and government sectors. This innovation allows for companies to launch satellites into space at a fraction of the normal cost. Rather than focusing on customization of experience such as Rocketlabs and their rocket seat reservation program, Reaction Engines is aiming to design a more efficient vehicle for launching small satellites.

With more companies pouring money into these new ventures for engines, and customer satisfaction for the space industry, it will be interesting to see which trend starts to take over. However, one can’t deny that the benefits of small satellites are influencing many of these investments and innovations.