Satellite manufacturers and launch providers are optimistic about the next several years as demands for replacement satellites and new initiatives will boost a slight increase over earlier expectations for their respective services, industry executives said.

Addressing Euroconsult’s 4th World Symposium on Market Forecasts for the Satellite Business on Sept. 4 in Paris, Olry Gerard, head of marketing, telecommunications marketing and sales at EADS Astrium, and Patrick Agnieray, vice president marketing for Alcatel Alenia Space, anticipated satellite manufacturing orders throughout the next five years rising between 19 to 21 annually instead of 18 or 19, the executives said.

Likewise, the manufacturing increase would provide a bump for launch providers, executives from Sea Launch and Arianespace concurred, along lines of 20 to 25 launch orders per year instead of 15 to 20.

Frank McKenna, vice president and deputy for International Launch Services, the joint venture marketing the Atlas 5 and Russia’s Proton, maintained his company’s prediction of 15 to 20 launches per year.