$15 billion and $100 billion per year by the year 2060, and that data collection activities would be on the order of $10 billion to $100 billion per year by that time. Space-based communications expenditures are likely to grow in order to handle personal communications, business data transfer and video communications including teleconferencing. The advantages of teleconferencing in business applications are fast becoming apparent and this mode of communication is likely to supplant a significant fraction of business travel. It is an interesting aside to note that advanced communications activities such as this are highly energy conservative. By the year 2060 it is conceivable that between 30 and 60 large communications platforms will be in place, many in geosynchronous equatorial orbit, but some in other orbits to serve more extreme latitudes. The present desire for geostationary satellites is clearly shown in Figure 2.1. By the year 1990 some 150 satellites will have served various functions, mostly communications, in that orbit. FIGURE 2.1 GEOSTATIONARY SATELLITES—TO DATE AND PLANNED
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