A record number of satellites were launched into orbit in 2020, according to the Satellite Industry Association’s (SIA) State of the Satellite Industry Report. By the end of 2020, there were 3,371 satellites orbiting Earth, an increase of 37% from 2019. The commercial satellite industry dominates the $371 billion global space economy, making up $271 billion, or nearly 73% of its revenue. “Increased demand for satellite broadband, remote sensing imagery and other services balanced declines in demand for services affected by the pandemic. Thanks to leaps in domestic innovation, costs to design, build and deploy satellites decreased while U.S. market share in manufacturing and launch services increased,” commented Tom Stoup, president of SIA. “Nearly 1,200 satellites were launched during 2020 and that trend continues as the industry has virtually matched that total in the first half of 2021.”