SpaceX successfully launches Israeli imaging satellite
SpaceX today successfully launched an Israeli Earth-observation satellite, using its Falcon 9 rocket.
The first stage successfully completed its eleventh flight, touching down softly at SpaceX’s facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
This launch completes SpaceX’s 2022 launch year, with a record 61 launches, one more than predicted by the company earlier in the year, and the most ever by a privately owned company.
The leaders in the 2022 launch race:
62 China
61 SpaceX
21 Russia
9 Rocket Lab
8 ULA
The U.S. now leads China 85 to 62, while trailing the rest of the entire world combined 94 to 85. The 85 launches for the U.S. is a new record for a single year, smashing the record of 70 launches set in 1966.
On Monday I will publish my annual full roundup of the state of global launch industry, based on the 2022 numbers.
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
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SpaceX today successfully launched an Israeli Earth-observation satellite, using its Falcon 9 rocket.
The first stage successfully completed its eleventh flight, touching down softly at SpaceX’s facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
This launch completes SpaceX’s 2022 launch year, with a record 61 launches, one more than predicted by the company earlier in the year, and the most ever by a privately owned company.
The leaders in the 2022 launch race:
62 China
61 SpaceX
21 Russia
9 Rocket Lab
8 ULA
The U.S. now leads China 85 to 62, while trailing the rest of the entire world combined 94 to 85. The 85 launches for the U.S. is a new record for a single year, smashing the record of 70 launches set in 1966.
On Monday I will publish my annual full roundup of the state of global launch industry, based on the 2022 numbers.
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
The launch and booster landing took place at Vandenberg SFB, not Cape Canaveral.
And the reason for the Vandenberg launching was an unusual westward, i.e. retrograde, trajectory. And the reason for that is…
Dick Eagleson: I was up too late last night. :) Now fixed. Thank you.
SpaceX (61) and RocketLab (9) by themselves tied the old record of 70. Add in Astra’s one successful flight this year, and “New Space” has broken the record all by them selves.
I would like to put Falcon 9 launchers at 63. considering FH. Unfortunately that opens the door for every strap on booster which totally screws the numbers.
I get Israel’s need for this sort of tech—but it spooks me
https://nypost.com/2022/12/29/dystopian-new-tech-can-doctor-footage-for-any-smart-cam/amp/
Hey Bob – thanks in advance for the work you put into this Launch year in review post. For all the Space Journalists & Space YouTubes out there, I don’t think there is anyone else who does this detailed tracking of the global launch industry.
Regarding global launches, here is a ‘Big Picture’ Question- ‘For what purposes is humanity competing in Space Exploration?’
Could you provide a best guess percentage using the following categories?
Military Civilian
Orbiting Space Stations
Moon missions
Astronomy
Planetary/Solar System Exploration
Second question – besides Military, which of the above categories will countries focus their resources on this decade?
Happy New Year to you & the BtB Community.
The military has no reason to explore space.
Exploit the Earths orbit yes but those are two different things. And until we start launching stealth satellites for the military placing anything in orbit is just making it an easily visible target for any other space capable nation. Satellites are not as safe as submarines.
For what purpose does humanity compete in anything? To see who is the best at something. And this simple competition drives more cash involvement from all parties.
Investment will more than likely go in reverse order of your list.
Planetary/Solar System Exploration
Astronomy
Moon missions
Orbiting Space Stations
Military