It seems that for the next few years, we are destined to regularly report on very successful space years that bring new records in the number of launches. In 2024, a total of 255 successful or partially successful launches took place from spaceports around the world, compared to 212 in 2023, marking an increase of over 20%! The launch chart over the years seems to be launching into space itself. In November and December 2024, there were 30 launches each month (30+28 successful), meaning almost one launch per day.
For the third consecutive year, the United States, thanks to SpaceX, leads with 155 launches (60.8% of the total, including 14 Rocket Lab Electron launches from New Zealand). SpaceX accounted for 135 successful launches, making up 52.9% of the global total or 87.1% of the U.S. total.
In second place, for the third year in a row, is China with 66 successful and partially successful launches. This accounts for 25.9% of the global total.
The "great space power" ranked third with only 17 launches, accounting for just 6.6% of the global total. This is the lowest percentage for the USSR/russia in history. If we count Rocket Lab Electron launches from New Zealand instead of the U.S. (even though Rocket Lab is an American company, its primary launch site is not in the U.S.), the small Pacific nation may soon catch up to and surpass Russia.
Japan and India's space programs continue to grow, with each country conducting 5 launches. Iran completed 4 successful launches, while the European Union only had 3, following the discontinuation of Ariane 5 and Soviet rockets (due to sanctions). ESA is still facing challenges with its launch vehicles.
Despite this, there is no shortage of new launch vehicles. In 2024, the first flights of the American Vulcan Centaur VC2S, European Ariane 62 (partially successful), Japanese KAIROS (unsuccessful), and Russia’s "Angara-A5" took place. Additionally, several Chinese government and semi-private rockets were launched, including Long March 6C, Long March 12, Gravity-1, Zhuque-2E, and Kuaizhou 1A Pro.
Among the most notable space events of 2024, it is worth mentioning:
- Four test launches of SpaceX's Super Heavy and Starship, especially the fifth one, which featured a spectacular booster recovery;
- The launch of Boeing's first crewed Starliner mission, which was memorable for a series of issues and astronauts getting stranded in orbit;
- The final flight of the Martian helicopter Ingenuity;
- The enduring Voyager 1;
- Japan's lunar module SLIM, which faced unfortunate circumstances;
- China's Chang'e-6 mission to the far side of the Moon and its successful return;
- A private spacewalk during SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission.
It was an exciting space year, and we hope 2025 will be even more thrilling. The 2025 launch season begins on January 3rd, with SpaceX's Falcon 9 Block 5 scheduled to launch the UAE's Thuraya 4-NGS communications satellite to geosynchronous orbit. On January 6th, Blue Origin's new orbital rocket, New Glenn, is expected to launch for the first time. Another SpaceX Super Heavy and Starship test is set for January 10th. Russia’s first launch will take place on February 28, 2025, marking the country’s steady and determined retreat from space — and that is a good thing.