Charted: Annual Space Launches by Superpowers (1957

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8 hours ago

June 2, 2026

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Julia Wendling

Graphics & Design

Jennifer West

Bar chart showing annual space launches from the U.S., China, and Russia from 1957 to 2026, using data from AEI.

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.

Launch Year	China	Russia/Soviet Union	United States	Space Ages
1957	0	2	1	First Space Age
1958	0	5	23	First Space Age
1959	0	4	21	First Space Age
1960	0	9	29	First Space Age
1961	0	9	41	First Space Age
1962	0	22	59	First Space Age
1963	0	24	46	First Space Age
1964	0	36	64	First Space Age
1965	0	53	71	First Space Age
1966	0	51	77	First Space Age
1967	0	74	60	First Space Age
1968	0	80	48	First Space Age
1969	0	82	41	First Space Age
1970	1	87	29	First Space Age
1971	1	91	33	First Space Age
1972	0	79	32	First Space Age
1973	1	90	25	First Space Age
1974	2	85	23	First Space Age
1975	3	93	30	First Space Age
1976	3	100	26	First Space Age
1977	0	102	26	First Space Age
1978	1	91	33	First Space Age
1979	1	89	16	First Space Age
1980	0	90	15	First Space Age
1981	1	100	19	First Space Age
1982	1	108	18	First Space Age
1983	1	100	22	First Space Age
1984	3	97	23	First Space Age
1985	1	100	19	First Space Age
1986	2	94	9	First Space Age
1987	2	97	9	First Space Age
1988	4	94	11	First Space Age
1989	0	75	18	First Space Age
1990	5	79	27	First Space Age
1991	1	61	19	First Space Age
1992	4	55	29	Second Space Age
1993	1	48	27	Second Space Age
1994	5	49	28	Second Space Age
1995	3	33	30	Second Space Age
1996	4	27	33	Second Space Age
1997	6	29	37	Second Space Age
1998	6	25	36	Second Space Age
1999	4	28	31	Second Space Age
2000	5	36	28	Second Space Age
2001	1	23	22	Second Space Age
2002	5	25	17	Second Space Age
2003	7	21	23	Second Space Age
2004	8	23	16	Second Space Age
2005	6	26	12	Second Space Age
2006	6	25	18	Second Space Age
2007	10	26	19	Second Space Age
2008	11	27	15	Second Space Age
2009	6	32	24	Second Space Age
2010	15	31	15	Second Space Age
2011	19	32	18	Second Space Age
2012	19	24	13	Second Space Age
2013	15	32	19	Second Space Age
2014	16	32	23	Second Space Age
2015	19	26	20	Second Space Age
2016	22	17	23	Third Space Age
2017	18	19	29	Third Space Age
2018	39	17	31	Third Space Age
2019	34	22	21	Third Space Age
2020	39	15	37	Third Space Age
2021	56	24	45	Third Space Age
2022	64	21	78	Third Space Age
2023	67	19	108	Third Space Age
2024	68	17	145	Third Space Age
2025	93	17	181	Third Space Age

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.