2023 was another record year for rocket launches. The year saw an all-time high of 207 successful runway launches (as of December 27). It was also a record year for most people in space at the same time. Here is a summary of the year’s highlights.
🚀 With 108 launches, the US broke the record for most launches by a nation, held by the Soviet Union since 1982.
🚀 SpaceX sent 1 million kg of cargo into orbit and was responsible for almost half of all orbital rockets launched this year.
🚀 Several launches have taken new scientific instruments into space, such as the European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer and Euclid, which will study dark matter and dark energy, and NASA’s Psyche to study its namesake asteroid.
🚀 The moon has been a popular destination this year and has a South Pole touch from India Chandrayaan-3a flyby and entry into lunar orbit of Japan Smart lander to explore moonand crash landings of Russia’s Moon 25 and Japan’s Hakuto-R.
🚀 SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launched for the 19st time in December, breaking his own rocket reuse record.
🚀 Virgin Galactic made its first commercial space flight and first tourist space flight.
🚀 Debut launches were made by Iran’s Qaem 100, Relativity Space’s Terran 1, Rocket’s Lab’s first hypersonic mission, North Korea’s Chollima-1, Space Pioneer’s Tianlong-2, Evolution Space’s Gold Chain Cowboy, Galactic Energy’s Ceres- 1S, Aerospace’s, Firefly Aerospace’s, Aerospace’s RS1, and SpaceX’s Starship among others.
🚀 There were also new fuel firsts this year. The Zhunque-2 rocket became the first methane-fueled rocket to make it into orbit and Space Pioneer became the first private company to reach space on the first try with an all-liquid fuel rocket.
🚀 Several countries—Ireland, Djibouti, Albania, Oman, and Vatican City—have begun operating their first satellites.
🚀 As in 2022, approximately 94% of all orbital launches this year were successful.
🌕🌖🌗
IMAGE INTERRUPTION
Last week, NASA had its 3D printed rotary explosion rocket motor successfully conducted a test fire that produced more than 5,800 pounds of thrust—enough to blast a spacecraft from the Moon to Mars.
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SPACE SPACE
NASA’s Ingenuity rotorcraft has made its longest flight yet: 2,315 feet. The helicopter-like craft has been hopping around Mars since 2021.
JAXA’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon entered lunar orbit Monday. It plans to land on January 20.
The Chinese startup Galactic Energy has resurrected $154 million to develop a reusable rocket. The money will help fund research and development of the Pallas-1.
Astrobiotics and intuitive machines hope to the first private companies to land on the moon. They are both targeting launches early next year.
Remnants of China’s Long March 5 rocket expected to fall South China Sea. This is not the first time that debris from the country’s most powerful type of rocket has fallen to the surface.
Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser shuttle is on its way final testing. The shuttle is scheduled to bring seven resupply missions to the ISS.
This week’s Space Business newsletter is written by science writer and photographer Mara Johnson-Grohand edited by Heather Landy.
Last week: Secret spacecraft
This was issue 209 of our newsletter. Hope your week is out of this world! Send rocket stats, tips and informed opinions praat@qz.com.
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