And 70 per cent of companies said they expected even more growth in the next two years.

Lord Sainsbury said: "This is very positive news for our space industry. The nation's scientists and engineers prove themselves time and time again - through missions to discover more about the Universe and advances in satellite communications, with leading roles in satellite navigation and pioneering new Earth observation techniques.

"We are all beneficiaries of space in some way - whether we're using satellite navigation to find our way, catching up on the weather forecast or even watching satellite TV. And those benefits are even more wide-reaching-from monitoring disasters like last year's Hurricane Katrina to predicting climate change and global warming.

"This survey highlights the important role our industry plays - at the forefront of some of the most exciting and significant space missions and programmes."

The size and health of the UK space industry 2006 was commissioned by the British National Space Centre. It covers the financial years 2003/4 and 2004/5 and 227 companies were involved.

The downstream sector, which includes satellite broadcasters, satellite broadband providers, earth imagery data providers and space facilities management, accounts for 85 per cent or GBP 4.1bn of the industry's total turnover. This is a rise from GBP 2.5bn when the survey first included these companies six years ago.

VT Communications, part of VT Group plc, provides critical communications and broadcast services to customers in defence, broadcast, space communications and government sectors worldwide.

Deputy Managing Director Kevin Cawood said: "The award in late 2005 of a five year contract extension for the operation and maintenance of the ESA LEOP tracking station on the European Spaceport demonstrates VT Communications' excellent track record and the European Space Agency's confidence in VT Communications to continue to undertake this vital operation.

"VT Communications also operates the French Space Agency's Ariane tracking station on Ascension Island. Together these contracts demonstrate our continuing commitment to the space industry."

Satellite manufacturers and other upstream companies generated GBP 725m in 2004/5 - a 36 per cent increase since 2002/3.

EADS Astrium is Europe's leading satellite system specialist, with sites in Stevenage, Portsmouth and Poynton.

Managing Director Colin Paynter said: "From modest upfront investment we have been able to develop sophisticated satellite payloads including the latest digital signal processor technology for the world's most advanced telecommunications satellites - the Inmarsat 4 series.

"One of the world's most profitable satellite operators, London-based Inmarsat provides broadband speed voice and data connectivity to users around the world using EADS Astrium built satellites."

EADS Astrium has also been involved in some of the most high profile European exploration missions. The company developed the fuel system onboard Mars Express which is making groundbreaking discoveries about the Red Planet. It also built the propulsion system for Venus Express, due to reach Venus on April 11 2006.

The space industry now employs 16,200 people, a three per cent rise over the survey period. The majority of these jobs, 10,600, are in the downstream sector. Upstream companies have 5,600 employees.

This highly skilled workforce sees 57 per cent of employees with a first degree. This figure rises to 84 per cent in the upstream sector.

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