Press Release

Contact: William N. Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst
Phone: (203) 426-0800
Fax: (203) 426-4262
Web site: www.forecastinternational.com
E-mail: bill.ostrove@forecast1.com
Forecast International, Inc.
22 Commerce Rd. Newtown, CT 06470 USA
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Government Imagery Needs Drive Remote Sensing Market

NEWTOWN, Conn. [April 12, 2010] — Forecast International projects the worldwide civil and commercial remote sensing satellite market to be worth $16 billion over the 2010-2019 timeframe. "The Market for Civil & Commercial Remote Sensing Satellites" study covers 48 satellite production programs. Over the next 10 years, the study projects that 110 individual remote sensing satellites will be produced.

"Uses of satellite data include urban planning, natural resource exploitation, agriculture, mapping and navigation, transportation, and scientific study of Earth's climate," said William Ostrove, space systems analyst. Other satellite imagery applications include environmental treaty monitoring, damage estimation for insurance claims, real estate appraisal, and assistance during natural disasters.

The most important consumers of satellite imagery data remain government and military agencies. For example, GeoEye and DigitalGlobe, two large U.S. remote sensing companies, have each been awarded contracts under the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's NextView program. The revenue generated by this program has allowed the two companies to upgrade their fleets and provide better value to both government and private customers.

Government agencies also form valuable partnerships with private industry to develop and operate satellite fleets. According to the study, "Many programs around the world, such as the Indian Cartosat, Canadian Radarsat, and Franco-Italian COSMO-SkyMed/Pleiades blur the distinction between government and private operated satellite networks." These satellite networks provide imagery to both government and commercial customers and provide strong competition to privately operated satellite companies.

One important trend the study identifies is the continued growth of satellites equipped with synthetic aperture radar. SAR-equipped satellites can obtain images through cloud cover or at night, unlike satellites equipped with optical sensors. Until recently, the U.S. government restricted American companies from selling SAR data with better than 3-meter resolution; however, companies can now sell images with up to 1-meter resolution. So while U.S. companies still must compete with well-established Canadian and European SAR data providers, they now enjoy a level playing field.

Top manufacturers in the remote sensing satellite industry include EADS Astrium, Thales Alenia Space, Lockheed Martin, Mitsubishi Electric, and Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.

Forecast International, Inc. (www.forecastinternational.com) is a leading provider of Market Intelligence and Analysis in the areas of aerospace, defense, power systems and military electronics. Based in Newtown, Conn., USA, Forecast International specializes in long-range industry forecasts and market assessments used by strategic planners, marketing professionals, military organizations, and governments worldwide. To arrange an interview with Forecast International’s editors, please contact Ray Peterson, Vice President, Research & Editorial Services (203)-426-0800, ray.peterson@forecast1.com. Proprietary Special Research is also available. Contact Jonathan Watson, Managing Director, The Forecast Consulting Group (j.watson@forecast1.com).