The Andromeda Galaxy. Image Credit/NASA Image
The Futron Corp’s 2011 Space Competiveness Index finds the United States perched atop 10 global competitors in the field, yet slipping as the nation’s space policy undergoes a transition, especially in the realm of human space flight.
The Bethesda, Md., aerospace consulting firm, made the executive summary of its fourth annual full SCI available this week.
The rankings, based on 50 individual metrics examined by Futron, were as follows: United States, a combined Europe, Russia, China, Japan, India, Canada, South Korea, Israel and Brazil.
“The 2011 results show that even as countries collaborate in space, competition has intensified,” said Jay Gullish, the Futron Space & Telecommunications Division Director, in a statement. “Dominant actors are losing ground to a rising middle tier of space players, and the competitive gaps separating all nations are narrowing.”
The U. S.retired NASA’s shuttle program in July. NASA continues to manage the 16-nation International Space Station, while it nurtures new commercial orbital crew and cargo capabilities and plans for future human deep space exploration with the development of the Orion/Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle and the Space Launch System, a heavy lift rocket.
The U. S. led International Space Station, now slated for extended operations. Image Credit/NASA image
Over the past decade, the U. S.was responsible for 197 or nearly one-third of 619 successful orbital launches worldwide, second only to Russia’s 248. The U. S. led in the production of 1,012 total spacecraft during the decade, with 386, or 38 percent. Russia was second in production with 219, or 22 percent of the total.Europe was third with 188, or 18 percent.
Here are a few of Futron’s observations regarding the top competitors.
1. The United States: The overall leader, but its relative position is in decline as other countries enhance their capabilities.
2. Europe: Weaving integrated space activity with new individual country efforts and more assertive space export financing.
3. Russia: Leads world in launchings and poised for more. Position strengthened by key role in the transportation of crew and cargo to the International Space Station and the introduction of the Soyuz launcher to the European spaceport in Guiana.
4. China: Matched the United States for launchings for the first time in 2010. Funding for technical education programs and civilian research institutes is on the rise.
5. Japan: Strengthened its position with policy reforms filtering through government and industry, but lost ground to China.
Futron found that “human capital,” the knowledge, skill and technical expertise of each nation’s industrial base, is a key to competitiveness.
“In a world where talent is mobile, the ability to educate, attract, retain and continuously enrich a base of skilled professionals is a growing determinant of which nations and actors lead in space competitiveness.” said Futron.