Expendable Launch Vehicle Revenues Increase as Industry Emerges from Soft Market

Like the rest of aviation, the expendable launch vehicle industry is emerging from a sluggish market and a near-term resurgence now seems likely. According to a recently released Forecast International market analysis, "The World Market for Expendable Launch Vehicles: 2004-2013," launch industry revenues have risen over 60 percent – from $3.7 billion in 2002 to over $5.5 billion in 2003. Also, in 2003 seventeen new commercial geosynchronous communications satellites were ordered, compared with only three in 2002. Satellite industry officials also believe that demand will exceed capacity and the need to replace older satellites will push satellite orders to about 20 by 2006. This rate of prod