Bringing Space Down to Earth

The report describes the transition of space technology from an exclusive domain of superpowers to a critical global infrastructure used by 57 countries. It details the economic impact of the space sector, which reached US$ 304 billion in commercial revenue and government spending in 2012, and highlights its role as an economic multiplier for sectors like agriculture, healthcare, and transportation. The document outlines specific applications of satellite technology for climate change monitoring, disaster management, food security, and human rights protection, while warning of risks such as orbital debris and space weather that threaten the long-term sustainability of these assets.

• The global space economy is one of the fastest-growing sectors, with commercial revenue and government spending reaching US$ 304 billion in 2012 and an average annual growth rate between 5% and 8%.
• Access to space is expanding beyond superpowers; the number of countries owning and operating at least one satellite grew from 26 in 2001 to 57 by 2014.
• Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), including GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou, and others, have revolutionized transportation and infrastructure, with the installed base of GNSS devices expected to reach 7 billion by 2022.
• Space-based technologies provide critical tools for climate change mitigation and adaptation by allowing researchers and policy-makers to monitor, predict, and model the Earth's climate system.
• Satellite imagery and remote sensing are used to protect human rights by documenting abuses, such as village burnings in Sudan and political prison camps in North Korea, which are otherwise difficult to investigate.
• The long-term sustainability of space activities is threatened by radio frequency interference, orbital space debris, and strategic military instability.
• Space technology generates significant terrestrial 'spin-offs' in medicine, energy, and electronics, including the foundation for the microelectronics revolution and modern computers via the Apollo programme.

APA

World Economic Forum (2014). Bringing Space Down to Earth. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/AM14/WEF_AM14_GAC_BringingSpaceEarth_BookPreview.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Bringing Space Down to Earth. 2014. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/AM14/WEF_AM14_GAC_BringingSpaceEarth_BookPreview.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Bringing Space Down to Earth |date=January 2014 |url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/AM14/WEF_AM14_GAC_BringingSpaceEarth_BookPreview.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2014bringing, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Bringing Space Down to Earth}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2014}, month = jan, url = {http://www3.weforum.org/docs/AM14/WEF_AM14_GAC_BringingSpaceEarth_BookPreview.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }