The Global Satellite Industry Grew 7% in 2012

Washington, D.C., June 17, 2013-The Satellite Industry Association (SIA) today  released its 2013 State of the Satellite Industry Report, showing a 7% growth in  world satellite industry revenues in 2012, up from 5% growth in 2011. Globally, 2012 revenues for the satellite industry totaled $189.5 billion, up from $177.3 billion  the previous year. All four industry sectors grew, led by satellite services, the  traditional driver for the industry. Both satellite manufacturing and launch services  saw significant revenue increases, and satellite ground equipment revenues also  continued to expand.


“The satellite industry continued to grow in 2012, outpacing both U.S. and global  economic performance,” noted Patricia Cooper, the President of SIA. “That satellite  industry revenues have tripled since 2001 is evidence that consumers, businesses,  and governments around the world place a high value on the dynamic and  innovative services and networks provided by the global satellite industry. SIA and  its members are dedicated to advocate for policies that will generate additional  growth in the coming years.”

This is the sixteenth year that SIA has issued its State of the Satellite Industry  Report, prepared in 2013 for the first time by the Tauri Group. Tauri polled over 80 satellite companies, both SIA members and non-members, to assess the  performance of four satellite industry sectors: satellite services, satellite  manufacturing, satellite launch industry, and ground equipment. Carissa  Christensen, the Managing Partner of the Tauri Group, noted that the SIA State of  the Satellite Industry Report “is an industry standard used by senior decisionmakers around the world. The Tauri Group is pleased to partner with SIA on the  2013 SSIR and enable SIA to continue its reputation as a reliable and unbiased 
source for industry information.” 

The 2013 State of the Satellite Industry Report found the following results:

  • Satellite Services revenues increased by 5% globally from 2011 to 2012,  reaching $113.5 billion, powered by continued growth in consumer satellite television services.
  • Satellite Manufacturing revenues, reflecting in-year satellites launched,  grew by 23% worldwide to $14.6 billion, compared with the $11.9 billion  earned in 2011. U.S. satellite manufacturing increased by 30%, from $6.3 billion to $8.2 billion.
  • Satellite Launch Industry revenues, reflecting in-year launches, increased by  35% globally, with U.S. revenues increasing from $1.4 billion to $2.2 billion.
  • Satellite Ground Equipment revenues continued to increase, growing 4%  over 2011 to reach $54.8 billion. Consumer ground equipment, including  satellite TV, satellite broadband, mobile satellite terminals, and GPS devices,  constituted the bulk of these revenues.
  • U.S. Satellite Industry Employment decreased by 1% through the third  quarter of 2012, a net loss of 1,407 jobs. The pace of job losses slowed compared to the prior year, which saw a 2% drop in U.S. satellite industry  employment. SIA will release an updated report after full 2012 employment  data is published in August by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

SIA is a U.S.-based trade association providing worldwide representation of the leading satellite operators, service providers, manufacturers, launch services providers, and ground equipment suppliers. Since its creation more than eighteenyears ago, SIA has advocated for the unified voice of the U.S. satellite industry on policy, regulatory, and legislative issues affecting the satellite business. For more 
information, visit www.sia.org