Another global record for orbital launches was set in 2024, driven significantly by the increased activity of SpaceX, which dominated the launch landscape with its Falcon rockets.
In 2024, there were 259 orbital launch attempts worldwide, indicating a 17% rise from the previous year’s record of 221 launches. Notably, this figure excludes suborbital launches, such as SpaceX’s four Starship/Super Heavy test flights and Rocket Lab’s HASTE suborbital variant of the Electron. This boost in launches aligns with SpaceX’s contributions, having conducted 134 Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches, escalating from 96 in 2023. The company’s output was remarkable, as it exceeded the combined efforts of the rest of the world.
SpaceX’s dominance was evident in the United States, as it was responsible for 88 of the 93 launches from Florida’s Eastern Range, covering Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Kennedy Space Center, and 46 of the 47 launches from California’s Western Range at Vandenberg Space Force Base. Other American ventures managed only 20 orbital launches in 2024, including Rocket Lab, which performed 13 Electron launches from New Zealand.
Internationally, China recorded 68 launches, surpassing its previous high of 67 in 2023. Russia followed with 17 launches, while Japan managed seven, India five, Iran four, and Europe three. North Korea attempted one launch. Among these 259 attempts, six failed. The Japanese company Space One experienced failures with its Kairos vehicle in March and December. Chinese entities faced issues with two commercial launch vehicles, Hyperbola-1 and Lijian-1, failing in July and December. North Korea’s launch also did not succeed. A Falcon 9 Starlink mission in July experienced an upper-stage failure, causing the satellites to deploy into unsustainable orbits.
Despite its aggressive schedule, SpaceX fell short of its internal target of 148 Falcon launches for 2024, which included carryovers from 2023. In December, Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX’s president and COO, revealed a revised goal of 136 launches for the year. She noted at a Center for Strategic and International Studies event that plans for 2025 aimed at 175 to 180 Falcon launches, emphasizing the need to maintain momentum. “We just keep pushing the limits,” Shotwell remarked. “That’s how you stay in fighting weight.” As SpaceX looks ahead, an increase in Starship launches, including initial orbital missions, is planned with ambitions of reaching a launching capacity significantly higher than that of Falcon.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s vision is ambitious, with aspirations for Starship to achieve 1,000 launches annually. This goal seeks to maximize efficiency and output, distinct from the capabilities of the Falcon rockets.
The surge in orbital launches in 2024, largely fueled by SpaceX, marked a significant moment in the space industry, with aspirations set even higher for the future.
Source: Spacenews
