Proof Point
Global orbital space launches totaled 85 in 2016, with 75% from military and civil governments
Global Orbital Space Launch Activity by Sector
2016 (number of launches and percentage)
| Note: | Data from U.S. and international orbital launch activities for calendar year 2016, including launches licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation (FAA AST) |
Proof Point Findings
- Orbital Space Launch – Military, civil (e.g. weather, geological sensing satellites, and cargo missions) or commercial (e.g. robotic lunar missions, asteroid mining, network connectivity) use of spaceflight take-off with goal of remaining in space for at least one orbit
- Total Launches Worldwide – 85 launches recorded in 2016, with 48 (56%) for civil, 21 (25%) for commercial and 16 (19%) for military purposes
- U.S. and China-Led – Countries conducting most launches in 2016 were U.S.and China, with 22 each
- Key Growth Drivers – Include rapidly advancing space technology, accelerating space and geological research, expansion of space commercial applications (e.g. big data, network connectivity, and weather services), and increasing government support for space exploration
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Accelerator |
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Sector |
Military and Security
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Source |
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Date Last Updated |
July 8, 2017
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