The survey is the most ambitious and comprehensive review of UK commercial space activities yet undertaken. It provides an insight into the size and health of the space industry.

Dr Colin Hicks, Director of the British National Space Centre (BNSC), which commissioned the study, said,

"The continuing expansion of the satellite services market reflects the emphasis in the Government's space policy on commercial opportunities from exploiting these technologies.

"Spaced-based services are helping people live better lives at home and at work -- by providing cheaper and more versatile global communications, new navigation systems and improved weather forecasting.

"Commercial customers accounted for 77 per cent of industry turnover in 2000-01 and represented some 90 per cent of turnover in the telecommunications sector."

The improvement was mainly due to the strength of the downstream industry -- the sector that exploits space technology, including satellite communication service providers and equipment suppliers and space insurance companies.

The figures reveal the dominance of the downstream sector within the overall space industry while the upstream sector -- companies which research, build and supply satellite technology -- was relatively static in 2000-01.

Similarly, the increase in employment from 13,789 to 15,701 people during 2000-01 was mainly due to the downstream side of the industry, which now represents almost two thirds of employment within the industry.

The study highlights telecommunications and broadcasting as the most important application sector within the UK space industry. Excluding the Direct-to-Home broadcasting sector, it now represents almost 80 per cent of total industry turnover.

Together with BNSC's previous surveys in 1992, 1994, 1996 and 1998 there is now ten year's worth of useful data relating to the industry and gives some indication of outcomes of Government policy.

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