Charted: Annual Space Launches by Superpower (1957–2025)

The race for space launches is accelerating fast, and the U.S. is pulling far ahead of every other nation. In 2025, the United States recorded 181 space launches, nearly double China’s 93 launches and far ahead of Russia’s 17.

What started as a Cold War rivalry has evolved into a commercial and geopolitical race fueled by satellite internet, reusable rockets, and military demand. This graphic, created in partnership with the Hinrich Foundation, charts annual space launches by superpowers from 1957 to 2025.

First Space Age: Soviet Dominance

The first space age began in 1957 with the Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik 1, the world’s first satellite. Over the next three decades, the Soviet Union led global launches and regularly outpaced the United States.

In 1969, the year Apollo 11 landed on the Moon, the Soviet Union still completed 82 launches versus America’s 41. Soviet launch activity peaked in 1982 with 108 launches, while the U.S. completed just 18.

Second Space Age: China Rises

The second space age began after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Russia’s annual space launches dropped sharply through the 1990s as the U.S. began closing the gap.

China also started gaining momentum. Its annual launches climbed from 5 in 2000 to 15 by 2010, laying the foundation for its rapid expansion in the years ahead.

Third Space Age: America Pulls Ahead

The modern era of space launches began around 2016 as reusable rockets and private companies transformed the industry. The space economy has now grown to nearly $600 billion.

By 2022, the U.S. completed 78 launches compared to China’s 64. The gap widened further in 2025, when America hit a record 181 launches while China reached 93.

Why Launches Matter

Today, these launches power far more than exploration. Countries with high launch capacity increasingly control satellite internet, military communications, GPS systems, and Earth imaging networks.

That advantage also creates economic and trade benefits across aerospace, semiconductors, and telecommunications.

For a deeper look at how trade, technology, and geopolitics are reshaping global industries, explore the latest research from the Hinrich Foundation.

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