China Shatters Single-Year Launch Record with Exciting Weekend Surge

China has made a remarkable achievement in space, breaking its single-year launch record with 72 orbital missions—just two months into 2025. The previous record was set last year with 68 launches.

Over the past weekend, four rockets lifted off, including two Long March rockets. These vehicles, operated by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, are key players in China’s space program. On Saturday, the Long March 11H launched three Shiyan-32 satellites, which are designed for testing advanced space technologies. The next day, a Long March 12 sent a batch of satellites for the SatNet megaconstellation, which aims to establish a network of up to 13,000 satellites in low Earth orbit.

Interestingly, two of the launches were from private companies. CAS Space’s Kinetica-1 successfully sent two Earth-observing test satellites into orbit. However, Galactic Energy’s Ceres-1 encountered issues; its upper stage malfunctioned, leading to the loss of all three satellites on board.

Despite these accomplishments, the United States remains the leader in global space launches for 2025, boasting over 150 missions. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 has been particularly prolific, accounting for a majority of these, with over 143 flights focused largely on expanding the Starlink broadband constellation.

As space exploration evolves, countries are pushing boundaries, and private companies are entering the scene. According to a recent survey, 70% of Americans believe space exploration should be a top priority for national funding, reflecting a growing public interest in what lies beyond our planet. With advancements in technology and increased investment, the space race is only getting started.



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