The global commercial satellite industry continues to grow, generating some $88.8 billion in revenue in 2005, 7.4% higher than the year before, according to a Satellite Industry Association report.
The "State of the Satellite Industry Report" noted how, after some difficult years, the satellite industry had begun to rebound, driven mainly by new technologies and applications in the mobile satellite sector as well as consumer applications such as HDTV and satellite radio.
The group said this growth was expected to continue, fueled by growing government demand for continuity of communications and the renewed interest by financial markets to invest in satellite companies.
In 2005, satellite industry revenues were led by the satellite services sector, which had grown to over $52 billion, and now accounted for nearly 60% of total industry revenues.
DTH television services contributed $41.3 billion to total satellite services revenue, more than half the entire commercial satellite industry's earnings last year.