In 2023, SpaceX narrowly missed its goal of passing the symbolic milestone of 100 rocket launches by totaling 96 launches. For 2024, the aerospace company founded by Elon Musk planned to launch 148 rockets.
The year ended with 134 Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches. Despite the failure to reach 148 launches, the increase nonetheless remains very significant. Especially since we can add to this count the four suborbital test flights of the Starship Super Heavy in March, June, October and November.
259 orbital launches worldwide in 2024
This increase in the number of rocket launches by SpaceX almost alone explains the increase in the number of launches on a global scale. According to statistics compiled by Spacenews2024 saw 259 attempts compared to 221 in 2023. Six launches failed last year: Kairos from Japan's Space One (March and December), Hyperbola-1 and Lijian-1 (China, July and December), SpaceX for Starlink ( failure of the second stage in July) as well as a shot carried out by North Korea.
SpaceX plans to further increase the rate for 2025
Except for the United States and SpaceX, China carried out 68 launches in 2024 (compared to 67 in 2023), Russia 17 launches, Japan seven launches, India 5 five launches, Iran four launches, Europe three launches and North Korea one launch.
This year, SpaceX is aiming for between 175 and 180 Falcon rocket launches and hopes to accomplish up to 25 test flights for the Starship. The first of the year, which will be the seventh for the giant rocket, should take place on January 10, according to Elon Musk.
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