Japan
Growing consensus calls for cleaning up debris in orbit
Growing commerce in orbit and increasing congestion have led more nations to invest in programs aimed at cleaning up decades of space junk.
Optimism abounds for space industry in 2025
The Space Report convened experts from across the industry to discuss what the year ahead might bring. The section begins with a Q&A from former U.S. Rep. Bob Walker, offers insights from other key influencers, and closes with an insight from two Harvard authors
5 enterprising space companies to watch in 2025
Keeping in mind today’s most pressing technology gaps, here are five companies to watch in 2025 — though still with no guarantee of long-term success.
SNAPSHOT: Launch vehicles set for 2025 first flights
Twenty-four new launch vehicles, many delayed from 2024, are expected to take flight this year.
2024 set another launch record, 2025 poised to shatter it
With a launch attempt every 34 hours, 2024 set spaceflight records. More than half of 2024’s launches came atop SpaceX’s Falcon 9 reusable rocket.
JAXA workforce, 2014-2024
JAXA is also playing a growing role in encouraging broader growth of the Japanese space sector. In spring 2024, the Japanese cabinet approved a bill to establish a $6.7 billion that will allow JAXA to support development.
Japanese space industry workforce, 2012-2022
Annual statistics for the Japanese workforce are provided by the Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies. The Japanese space workforce has remained relatively stable over the past decade.
Space workforce trends in the United States, Europe, Japan, and India
The United States and Europe saw significant growth in private sector space employment from 2022 to 2023, with increases of 6.7% and 9.1%, respectively.
Global workforce growth shows annual overall gains
Annual workforce data shows a net gain of more than 26,000 space workers. That compares to 6,436 added jobs in the prior year comparison. While methodologies differ, tracking annual data provides some insight to the growth of the global workforce.
Military launches by nation, 2023
During the first half of 2024, China and the United States each launched five military missions to orbit. The Ukraine war, in its third year, continued to demonstrate the utility of satellites for intelligence, targeting and communication.