Record loads on US spaceports

Record loads on US spaceports: number of launches in 2024 increased fivefold

The American space industry is experiencing unprecedented growth. According to The Wall Street Journal, the number of space launches reached a record 145 in 2024, which is five times higher than the 2017 figures.

Musk leads the launch race

The main driver of this trend has been SpaceX. The company accounted for 134 orbital launches in the year, making Elon Musk the absolute leader in the space industry.

Infrastructure shortage

The increase in the number of launches has led to critical overload of existing spaceports. The US has built virtually no new launch facilities in recent decades, and now the old sites are operating at the limit of their capabilities.

The situation may worsen, given plans to further increase the number of launches. This raises the question for the industry of the need to create new infrastructure that can meet the needs of the developing space industry.