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From NASA to SpaceX, rocket launches expected to surge in next decade
USA Today • • general
Key Points:
- The FAA forecasts a significant rise in commercial rocket launches in the U.S., projecting nearly 4,300 launches between fiscal years 2026 and 2036, with annual launches increasing from over 200 to more than 500.
- Florida and California set record numbers of rocket launches in 2025, driven largely by SpaceX's Falcon 9 activity and preparations for the Starship rocket, which is central to NASA’s Artemis lunar missions.
- The surge in launches is fueled by NASA's Artemis program aiming to return humans to the moon, expanding satellite deployments like SpaceX's Starlink, and growing interest in space tourism.
- Other aerospace companies, including Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, Firefly Aerospace, and United Launch Alliance, are ramping up launch activities despite some setbacks, contributing to the overall increase in U.S. rocket launches.
- To accommodate the growing launch demand, the U.S. government is considering easing environmental regulations on commercial spaceflight and exploring the use of offshore platforms converted from inactive oil rigs as new launch sites.
