The U.S. Space Force's Space Launch Delta 45 unit supported a record 93 rocket launches from Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center in 2024. Worldwide, 259 launches occurred, averaging one attempt every 34 hours.
The Space Foundation's report anticipates continued growth in launch frequency, spurred by Europe's focus on independent launch capabilities. SpaceX conducted 132 Falcon 9 flights, primarily for Starlink expansion, projecting $11.8 billion in revenue this year. Military spacecraft deployments increased by 86%, largely due to SpaceX's Starshield constellation for national security.
The U.S. surpassed China in launch volume by over 2-to-1. Russia increased satellite deployments from 21 to 98, monitoring its Northern Sea Route. Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket debuted, aiming to compete with SpaceX, including supporting Amazon's Project Kuiper. Sierra Space's Dream Chaser spaceplane is slated for its first ISS mission atop a Vulcan rocket in May, and Rocket Lab's Neutron rocket is planned for mid-2025.
The FCC allocated additional spectrum for commercial launches, streamlining regulatory processes. European companies like Latitude (Zephyr), Germany's Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA One), and UK-based Orbex (Prime) are preparing for inaugural flights. Australia's Gilmour Space is set for its first Australian-made rocket launch.
NASA contracted SpaceX for the Pandora mission, an Astrophysics Pioneers Program initiative to study exoplanet atmospheres. Pandora, a small satellite in sun-synchronous orbit, uses a 45-centimeter telescope with optical and infrared detectors to analyze exoplanet transits. Launch is planned for fall 2025 on a Falcon 9 rocket.
China launched the Long March 8A, carrying a second batch of Guowang internet satellites. The Long March 8A, an upgraded Long March 8 variant, features a new hydrogen-oxygen second stage. It can carry 7,000 kg to a 700-km Sun-synchronous orbit. China aims for around 100 launches in 2025, including Shenzhou and Tianzhou missions, and the Tianwen-2 asteroid sample return mission.