Press Release - 07/20/2009

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Futron Corporation Releases its Second Annual Space Competitiveness Index: The Race to Space Continues to Evolve 

Bethesda MD, July 20, 2009 – On this 40th anniversary of the first human Moon landing carried out by the crew of Apollo 11, Futron Corporation is pleased to release its second annual Space Competitiveness Index: A Comparative Analysis of How Countries Invest in and Benefit from Space Industry.

As Futron founder and CEO Joe Fuller notes, “The Apollo anniversary recalls a milestone that continues to define the Space Age—one that shows how space is both an object of human wonder and an arena for international competition as well as cooperation. It is important for nations to derive economic, security, and scientific benefits from space. Futron created the Space Competitiveness Index to contribute to the understanding of these complex strategic issues in a structured way.”

What is the Space Competitiveness Index (SCI)?

Futron's Space Competitiveness Index (SCI) examines the activities of 10 leading space participant nations, discussing their respective strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The SCI provides a structured analysis of international space competitiveness by measuring more than 50 individual metrics across three underlying dimensions of competitiveness: government, human capital, and industry. Using this framework, Futron offers a comparative assessment of Brazil, Canada, China, Europe (considered as a single entity), India, Israel, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and the United States.

What's New in 2009?

Five New European Mini-Profiles
Incorporating feedback from its introductory study in 2008, Futron’s 2009 Space Competitiveness Index introduces five new mini-profiles of leading European countries and their space activities to provide a more nuanced view of the complex European dynamic.

Five New Emerging Space Actor Profiles
This enhanced European focus is complemented by an additional new discussion of five emerging space actors: Australia, Singapore, South Africa, plus a timely examination of strategic questions surrounding the space programs of Iran and North Korea.

Two New Focused Segment Analyses
The 2009 Index also adds two new focused segment analyses—Space Exploration and Space Technology Capability Base. The Space Exploration segment examines civil space exploration, including deep space missions and scientific spacecraft. The Space Technology Capability Base segment offers comparative snapshots of technical clusters considered key, from an engineering perspective, to ensuring space functionality. In addition, the three segments first assessed in 2008—Military, Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT), and Remote Sensing—are updated and refined.

2009 Findings: Highlights

• The United States remains the leading space participant, but its advantages in all three major dimensions of space competitiveness—government, human capital, and industry—continue to narrow as other nations build their investments in space policy, expertise, and infrastructure.
• Asian space powers—China, India, and Japan—are in close competition with one another, even as they challenge traditional leaders such as Europe, Russia, and the U.S.
• Japan posted the single largest gain in relative space competitiveness, due largely to new legislation and improved policy alignment.
• Newer and smaller participants such as Brazil, Israel, and South Korea maintain niche roles, but are joined—and in some cases challenged—by emerging space actors such as Australia, Iran, North Korea, Singapore, South Africa, and others.

What the SCI Means for Decision-Makers

Futron Corporation views its annual, independent Space Competitiveness Index as an enabler of decision management solutions (DMS) across the aerospace industry and policy sectors.

“The Space Competitiveness Index is a tool,” said Futron Chief Operating Officer Peggy Slye. “It offers decision-makers an ongoing benchmark to continuously re-assess the competitive landscape of space activity—and to contemplate its implications for their respective governments, businesses, and organizations.”

The full report, Futron’s 2009 Space Competitiveness Index, is now available for purchase. The Executive Summary of the report is also available for complimentary download.

Kindly email the contact below with any questions or comments.

David Vaccaro
+1 (301) 347-3452
dvaccaro@futron.com

 

About Futron Corporation

Futron is a leading provider of decision management solutions for aerospace, telecommunications and other technology enterprises. The company combines business, technical, and management expertise to create solutions for improved decisions, performance, and results. Futron business and market management, safety and risk management, and technology and program management products and services are recognized and accepted as industry standards, and are influential in government, commercial and international forums. We are thought leaders responsible for innovations in the field, including methodologies, tools, and solutions. Futron skilled and talented professionals collaborate with clients to address diverse and challenging strategic and tactical issues and opportunities. Our innovative decision management solutions are at work at government, commercial and international aerospace companies routinely producing better decisions and better futures for clients. Explore what we can do for you at www.futron.com.