SpaceX is still the dominant player in the global launch market. China has been picking up steam by increasing the launch rate for the Long March family by 41%. There might be new rocket families added for 2026 review, as there are quite a few very promising start ups that want to compete with a Falcon 9 sized rocket.
SpaceX planned for 165 Falcon launches in 2025. They came very close to achieving their goal with 164 launches. There were no Falcon Heavy launches in 2025
Starlink's Role in SpaceX's Growth
Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet constellation, has become a major driver of the company’s launch cadence. In 2025, 89 of the 164 Falcon 9 launches were for Starlink, representing 65% of total launches - matching the quota of 2023 and 2024.
Starlink Launch Breakdown by Year
| Year | # Falcon 9 Launches | # Launches for Starlink | % Starlink |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 13 | 2 | 15% |
| 2020 | 25 | 14 | 56% |
| 2021 | 31 | 17 | 55% |
| 2022 | 61 | 34 | 56% |
| 2023 | 95 | 62 | 65% |
| 2024 | 133 | 86 | 65% |
| 2025 | 164 | 89 | 65% |
Global Context: Comparing Launch Totals
SpaceX continues to dominate global launch statistics, outperforming other space programs and commercial operators. Below is a table summarizing launches across different rocket families and programs over the years:
| Year | Falcon 9 | Long March | R-7 | Electron | PSLV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 2 | 15 | 13 | 0 | 1 |
| 2011 | 0 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 3 |
| 2012 | 2 | 19 | 14 | 0 | 2 |
| 2013 | 3 | 14 | 16 | 0 | 3 |
| 2014 | 6 | 15 | 21 | 0 | 3 |
| 2015 | 7 | 19 | 17 | 0 | 4 |
| 2016 | 28 | 22 | 14 | 0 | 6 |
| 2017 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 1 | 3 |
| 2018 | 21 | 37 | 16 | 3 | 4 |
| 2019 | 13 | 26 | 18 | 6 | 5 |
| 2020 | 25 | 34 | 15 | 7 | 2 |
| 2021 | 31 | 48 | 22 | 6 | 1 |
| 2022 | 61 | 53 | 19 | 9 | 3 |
| 2023 | 95 | 47 | 17 | 8 | 3 |
| 2024 | 133 | 49 | 12 | 15 | 3 |
| 2025 | 164 | 69 | 13 | 20 | 0 |
- PSLV suffered one failed launch in 2025 due to loss of chamber pressure in the 3rd stage.
- The Long March family increased their launch rate by 41%.
- Rocket Lab increased their launch rate by 33%.
- SpaceX increased their launch rate from a very high base by 23%.
Data Sources:
Jonathan C. McDowell: Launch List by Family
Wikipedia: List of Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches (2010–2019)
Wikipedia: List of Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches
Wikipedia: List of Long March launches (2010–2019)
Wikipedia: List of Long March launches (2020–2029)
Wikipedia: List of R-7 launches (2010–2014)
Wikipedia: List of R-7 launches (2015–2019)
Wikipedia: List of R-7 launches (2020–2024)
Wikipedia: List of Electron launches
Wikipedia: List of PSLV launches
Wikipedia: Comparison of orbital launcher families