In its recently released study of the commercial satellite launch market for 2000-2003, Teal Group forecasts that 33 commercial satellites will be launched to Earth orbit in 2002 and 31 will be launched in 2003. The study breaks out the commercial satellites launched worldwide by manufacturer and launch service provider, as well as by satellite and launch vehicle models and costs.

“One of the things we wanted to find out was how soon the market would recover from the poor year it had in 2001, when only 16 commercial satellites were launched,” said Marco Caceres, lead analyst for Teal’s World Space Systems Briefing. “We now have enough data to be able to forecast a 52 percent increase in both the number and value of satellites that will be launched this year, compared to last year, and the market should remain steady through 2003.”