Germany


Isar launch fails to reach orbit

The Spectrum orbital launch rocket turns in the skyThe Spectrum orbital launch rocket turns in the sky

What could have been continental Europe’s first orbital launch lost attitude control only seconds after takeoff on March 30. However, the German company still considers it a successful test flight of the two-stage orbital launch vehicle.

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Astronauts by top nations

Astronaut by top nationsAstronaut by top nations

The majority of astronauts (95%) have also reached the Kármán line at 100 km — the internationally recognized boundary of space.

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SNAPSHOT: Global space economy

Top 3 commercial space sectors, 2015-2022Top 3 commercial space sectors, 2015-2022

The global space economy totaled $546 billion in 2022, 8% higher than 2021 — and it could reach $772 billion by 2027, according to Space Foundation analysis.

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SNAPSHOT: Human spaceflight

Cumulative human spaceflight, 1961–March 18, 2024Cumulative human spaceflight, 1961–March 18, 2024

As of mid-March, 685 astronauts have reached at least 80 kilometers above the Earth’s surface. This total includes 86 private astronauts, 22 times as many as there were two decades ago.

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Astronaut and Mission Count for Top Nations

Public astronauts typically complete multiple missions in space over their careers — 65% have two or more flights compared to only 9% of private space travelers. Retired NASA astronaut Frederick “CJ” Sturckow remains the only person to have visited space eight times.

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