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The 259 launches in 2024 occurred an average of one every 34 hours, five hours more frequently than in 2023. The launch pace will likely continue to grow in 2025, with launch operators planning site improvements, more frequent launches, and the first flights of 24 launch vehicles.

Despite the increase in launches, spacecraft deployments in 2024 dropped 3% to 2,802. Still, total mass brought to orbit increased 40% to 1.9 million kilograms as operators transitioned to heavier satellites, including SpaceX’s Starlink v2 mini. SpaceX was a primary driver of launch and spacecraft trends, launching 152 times, deploying almost 2,000 Starlink satellites, and test launching the Starship vehicle four times. Military spacecraft deployments increased 86% in 2024 as SpaceX launched more than 100 satellites for the NRO’s Starshield constellation.

Increasing launch activity is allowing more nations to enter the space industry: Senegal and Croatia deployed their first satellites in 2024, bringing the number of nations with an active satellite in orbit to 92. On another economic front, publicly traded space companies tracked in the S-Network Space Index in H2 recorded the strongest six-month performance in the history of the index after underperforming in the first half of 2024. This strong showing led the index to outperform benchmark indexes with a 26.4% gain over the full year.

The growing space economy highlights the need for a robust education-to-industry pipeline. Schools, government agencies, and space companies are working to grow STEM engagement and students’ interest in space. Industry and academic partnerships show a growing trend and preference for active learning environments with more hands-on experience and internships for students planning to enter the space workforce.

Observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) continued to inspire the public and researchers throughout 2024 as it celebrated its third year in space. JWST data builds on earlier observations from telescopes such as Hubble to create more detailed images of the universe. The telescope has helped scientists prove and disprove multiple theories on the origins of the universe, supermassive black holes, and early star formation.

To better track the growing number of objects in Earth’s orbit and prevent devastating collisions, the U.S. Department of Commerce has begun trials of its new TraCSS. This program combines data from private companies with Defense Department capabilities to monitor satellite movements and debris-generating events.

Artificial intelligence is bringing value and efficiency to the space industry in applications ranging from initial data processing to running simulations on digital twins. However, questions remain around if and how to regulate AI systems to prevent ethical and cybersecurity risks.

Space Foundation CEO Heather Pringle said, “The Space Report 2024 Q4 paints an incredibly dynamic picture — record launches, more mass to orbit, and growing global involvement. This sector is quickly expanding and there is promising effort to strengthen governance and sustainability, including the development of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s TraCSS system to help track and manage debris. There is reason to have confidence in upward trajectory of the space economy and one of the best ways to sustain that growth is continuing to build capacity for others to join us.”

Article authored by the Space Foundation Editorial Team