Infrastructure
General: Better satellites key to new missile defense efforts


The general in charge of defending North America from attack told a Senate panel Thursday that he needs more and better satellites to keep up with increasingly advanced missile threats from nations including China, Russia, and North Korea.
U.S. and Japan launch historic joint space security mission


The United States and Japan launched the first of two planned space domain awareness payloads to enhance detection of threats and vulnerabilities above the Indo-Pacific region.
Kratos taps Rocket Lab to deliver hypersonic test launches for U.S. military


Rocket Lab will launch more hypersonic test vehicles for the U.S. Military. The program aims to speed up hypersonic technology development by providing an affordable flight test bed to bridge ground tests and system-level trials.
Annual spacecraft deployments fall 3% to 2,802


Despite the large increase in launches in 2024, the number of satellites deployed actually fell in 2024. Still, these spacecraft brought a record mass to orbit.
New nations join space industry in orbit and on Earth


Over the past decade, the number of nations launching first satellites to orbit increased as SmallSats and international partnerships in the industry opened access to space.
Flock of launch vehicles set for first flight in 2025


With as many as 23 launch vehicles set to make their first flights in 2025, there’s also a renewed focus on sovereign launch capabilities
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.
Launch log, 2025


Interested in this year’s global space activity? Keep track of orbital launch trends with our 2025 launch log. Launch data is updated every day during weekdays, excluding U.S. holidays.
International Space Station moved twice to dodge orbital debris


Crews have maneuvered International Space Station twice in one week to avoid orbital debris, using thrusters to move the research outpost to a higher orbit.