Launchers Other Than SpaceX 'Just Background Noise,' Says Astralytical

SpaceX so dominated in successful orbital launches, satellite deployments and total mass to orbit per launch vehicle in 2023 that the space activities of other companies, nations and organizations "were just background noise," analyst John Holst blogged for space consultancy Astralytical. "It was SpaceX’s world in 2023. 2024 looks to be more so," he said Monday. U.S. companies successfully launched 110 rockets in 2023, up from 85 in 2022, and SpaceX accounted for 96 of those 110, Holst said. Its 2023 launch total was an increase from 2022's 61. China conducted 66 launches in 2023, up from 62 the year before, he said. Holst said second in the U.S. behind SpaceX was Rocket Lab, which conducted eight launches in 2023, down from nine the year before. United Launch Alliance conducted three launches in 2023, he said. Holst said that while China's launch services use a variety of rockets, the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology’s CZ-2D was its most active, with 13 launches. He said of the 2,850 total satellites deployed in 2023, SpaceX was responsible for nearly 70%. More than 99% of those 1,986 satellites SpaceX deployed were its own Starlink line. Of an estimated 1.5 million kg of spacecraft mass deployed last year, SpaceX launched about 87%, or nearly 1.3 million kg. That's about double what it delivered into space last year, he said. Even subtracting Starlink deployments, SpaceX lifted an estimated 186,000 kg into orbit, he said.