Report: 2,325 commercial satellites deployed in 2022
June 21, 2023
The Satellite Industry Association (SIA) has announced the release of its 26th annual State of the Satellite Industry Report (SSIR), a global summary of the commercial satellite industry. For a fifth consecutive year, the commercial satellite industry launched a record number of commercial satellites into orbit.
A total of 2,325 commercial satellites were deployed during 2022, an increase of over 35 per cent compared to the previous year, while the space industry once again conducted the most launches (161) in history. By the end of 2022, a total of 7,316 active satellites circled the earth, an increase of approximately 51 per cent over 2021 and 321 per cent over the past five years.
Other takeaways from the 2023 Report include:
- During 2022, the overall global space economy generated revenue of $384 billion (€351.5bn).
- The commercial satellite industry continued to be dominant, increasing to $281 billion and accounting for more than 73 per cent of the world’s space business.
- Satellite Manufacturing – thanks to continued innovation, satellite capability and lower manufacturing costs, satellite manufacturing revenue grew to $15.8 billion in 2022 an increase of more than 15 per cent compared with 2021.
- Launch Services – once again affordability and innovations led to increased launch activities and a historic high number of global launches (161) in 2022. Global launch revenues were $7 billion in 2022, an increase of 23 per cent compared to 2021.
- Satellite Services – increasing satellite broadband subscriptions and revenue along with satellite radio and remote sensing revenue growth combined to help generate a total of $113.3 billion in satellite services revenue during 2022.
- Satellite Ground Segment – This sector generated revenue of more than $145 billion in 2022. There are now over 7 billion satellite-enabled global smartphones in use while broadband terminals and additional global navigation satellite system (GNSS) terminals continued to increase.
“Led by American leadership in satellite manufacturing and launch services, the global commercial satellite industry continued to grow while dominating the expanding worldwide space economy,” said Tom Stoup, president of the Satellite Industry Association. “Thanks to domestic innovation, US market share in manufacturing and launch services increased with American firms earning 64 per cent of global satellite manufacturing revenues while building 87 per cent of the commercially procured satellites launched in 2022.”
Stroup added, “Over the past half decade, costs to manufacture and launch satellites have decreased while utility has increased – all leading to record growth, increased affordability, productivity, and new markets. New broadband connectivity, direct to device communication, on-orbit mission extension/servicing, debris capture and removal and enhanced remote sensing are just some of the new services that are bolstering an expanding satellite industry.”