Appendix
Lunar Missions by Result, 1959-2022
Eight nations have launched lunar missions, but only three have landed on the Moon. In 2022, four missions were partially or fully successful, a tempo last seen in 1969 — the year the first humans stepped foot on the lunar surface.
United Kingdom Space Budget, 2005-2021
The United Kingdom Space Agency (UKSA) is an executive agency of the Government of the United Kingdom, responsible for the United Kingdom’s civil space program.
South Korean Space Budget, 2005-2021
The South Korean government continued development of a Korean-made launch vehicle and improvement in the country’s ability to utilize information gathered by satellites.
Russian Space Budget, 2005-2021
Space exploration is a significant income source for the national budget.
Launch Attempts by Country and Mission Type, 2022
While the U.S. typically leads commercial satellite launches, China almost doubled its private missions in 2022—commercial payloads were 27% of the nation’s launches compared to 16% in 2021. Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co. launched five batches of high-resolution imagery satellites for its Jilin-1 constellation and has deployed approximately half of its planned 138 satellites.
Orbital Launch Attempts by Result, 2013-2022
For the second consecutive year, space launches set all-time records as operators sent a historic number of 179 successful missions into orbit in 2022. With 41 more attempts than 2021, the year also set a new record for the sheer volume increase of launches year over year.
Launch Attempts of New, Select U.S. Launch Companies, 2013-2022
But startups increasingly have brought a new wave of innovation to the market. Of the five recent U.S. companies launching new vehicles, SpaceX has moved from innovator to market leader. Rocket Lab, which attempted launch for the first time in 2017, made headway toward reusability by twice attempting to recover the rocket’s first stage using a helicopter in 2022. Firefly completed its first successful flight last year, and Virgin Orbit and Astra succeeded in 2021.
Indian Space Budget, 2005-2021
Indian space activities are coordinated through the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Spanish Space Budget, 2009-2021
Space activities in Spain are coordinated by the Instituto Nacional de Tècnica Aeroespacial (INTA) within the Ministry of Defense.
Italian Space Budget, 2005-2021
The Italian space agency, the Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI) is the main contributor, other agencies within Italy also invest in space activities, including the Ministry of Defense.