Our ranking of top US launch companies finds a familiar name on top

Space is hard — Our ranking of top US launch companies finds a familiar name on top Some familiar faces remain, along with a few new entrants.

Eric Berger – Dec 20, 2023 1:00 pm UTC Enlarge / A Falcon 9 rocket launches in January 2023 carrying a GPS III satellite into orbit.Trevor Mahlmann reader comments 175

After our inaugural ranking last year, Ars Technica is again publishing a list of the most accomplished US commercial launch companies. We hope the list sparks debate, discussion, and appreciation for the challenge of operating a successful rocket company.

Please note that this is a subjective list, although hard metrics such as total launches, tonnage to orbit, success rate, and more were all important factors in the decision. And our focus remains on what each company accomplished in 2023, not on what they might do in the future. Certainly there will be more reshuffling next year. 1. SpaceX (no change)

Only one rocket company approached a mind-boggling 100 launches this year. Only one company reused more than 90 percent of the rockets it launched in 2023. Only one company launched one million kilograms of cargo into orbit. And only one company debuted the (privately developed) largest and most powerful rocket ever seenStarship. And then launched it again just months later on a mostly successful flight.

Which feat is most impressive? Is it the unprecedented cadence? Launching nearly two rockets a week is incredible, a testament to the extremely hard work done by the SpaceX teams in California, Texas, and Florida. But getting Starship to fly twice in just seven months, after sand-blasting the launch pad on the first attempt, is equally remarkable. SpaceX is the most elite launch company in the world, and it is not close. Advertisement

Here’s one more statistic for you, courtesy of a reader. SpaceX, for all of its 90-plus launches this year, expended a total of six Falcon cores (four Heavy centers and two side boosters). United Launch Alliance, its one-time main competitor, expended fivein three total launches. 2. Rocket Lab (+1)

Rocket Lab has ascended to the number two position because of its execution this year. The company set a new record (10) for launches in a calendar year. Rocket Lab also had some other notable firsts, including opening its first US-based launch site at Wallops Island in Virginia, launching its first hypersonic mission, HASTE, and re-flying a Rutherford rocket engine for the first time as part of its efforts to reuse Electron first stages.

Rocket Lab also continued to work on its Neutron vehicle, although the medium-lift launcher likely won’t debut until at least 2025.

It wasn’t a perfect year, of course. Notably, the company’s ninth launch attempt of the yeara dedicated mission for Capella Spacewas lost due to an anomaly after the second stage separated. This was the company’s fourth failure in 40 orbital launches. While not a terrible record, it’s not a great one, either. Page: 1 2 3 4 Next → reader comments 175 Eric Berger Eric Berger is the senior space editor at Ars Technica, covering everything from astronomy to private space to wonky NASA policy, and author of the book Liftoff, about the rise of SpaceX. A certified meteorologist, Eric lives in Houston. Advertisement Channel Ars Technica ← Previous story Next story → Related Stories Today on Ars