Galactic Energy, a rocket startup in China, launched five satellites into orbit on Monday, boosting the private company’s ambition to become the Chinese rival to SpaceX.

Space travel has changed from government-driven missions to a dynamic, commercially driven frontier over the past 25 years, driven by advancements in technology and the rise of private companies.

There were 135 successful orbital launches in 2021, then 179 in 2022, and as of Wednesday, there have been 183 so far in 2023, with the world on pace for roughly 200 by the end of December.

China’s Shijian-21 and Shijian-25 satellites, known as SJ-21 and SJ-25 for short, likely docked together in geosynchronous ...

SpaceX’s record year pushed U.S. orbital launch activity to a total of 145 flights in 2024, compared to 109 attempts in 2023. In addition, U.S.-based Rocket Lab flew 13 times from New Zealand ...

The project, codenamed “GW,” is being run by a newly established group called China Satellite Network Group Co, whose hope is to quickly launch a total of 12,992 small satellites into orbit.

China sets a new national orbital launch record with launch of a Kuaizhou-1A rocket carrying the Jilin-1 Gaofen-02F satellite, Oct. 27, 2021. Credit: CNSA/OurSpace ...