Launch Activity Overview
2026 is the busiest year in spaceflight history. 2025 set the standing record with 324 orbital launch attempts — a 25 percent jump over 2024 — and 2026 is running ahead of that pace. SpaceX completed roughly 80 Falcon 9 missions before mid-year and is on pace for 150 or more, accounting for close to half of global launches, while China maintains a robust 90+ launch campaign.
The year has already delivered historic milestones: Artemis II carried a crew around the Moon in April, and Starship deployed its first operational payloads — 20 Starlink V3 satellites — in July. Both the booster and upper stage completed controlled ocean splashdowns on that flight, though recovery of the floating ship stage was not confirmed. Blue Origin's New Glenn is ramping toward operational cadence, Ariane 6 is flying regularly in Europe, and the mega-constellation buildout continues with Starlink, OneWeb, and Amazon Leo (formerly Project Kuiper) all requiring dozens of flights.
Live tracking: SpaceNexus tracks every launch in real time with countdown timers, mission details, and launch vehicle specs. View the live launch dashboard →
Launch Providers in 2026
Providers ranked by orbital launches this year, against their own count on the same date last year. A launch counts when it lifts off — scrubs do not — and the success rate is this year's.
| Provider | 2026 to date | Change | Success |
|---|---|---|---|
| SpaceX | 109 | -11 | 100% |
| CASC | 43 | +3 | 95% |
| Rocket Lab | 16 | +4 | 100% |
| CAS Space | 5 | +3 | 100% |
| ULA | 5 | +2 | 100% |
| Roscosmos |
Month-by-Month Launch Schedule
Launches that flew each month this year, and what is on the manifest for the months ahead. Each month links to the Cape Canaveral schedule for that month, with every mission, its time and how to watch. Manifests move constantly — the changes we record are further down — so the scheduled counts are a snapshot, not a promise, and a launch the feed only knows to the month is counted as “month-only” rather than as a date. For countdowns and streams, use Mission Control.
Launch Vehicles Active in 2026
The rockets that have actually flown this year or have a flight on the manifest, ranked by launches this year — from the tracker, not a brochure. Each links to its full record.
| Vehicle | This year | Next launch | To LEO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Falcon 9 Block 5 · SpaceX | 105 | Sep 16, 2026 | 22,800 kg |
| Electron · Rocket Lab | 16 | Sep 30, 2026 | 300 kg |
| Soyuz-2.1b · RKTs Progress | 9 | Sep 16, 2026 | 8,200 kg |
| Long March 6A · SAST / CASC | 7 | — | 7,000 kg |
Global Launch Sites
Each site now has its own live page with this month's manifest and a month-by-month archive: Cape Canaveral & KSC, Vandenberg, Starbase, Kourou, Wenchang — or all launch sites.
| Site | Location | Active Pads |
|---|---|---|
| Kennedy Space Center (KSC) | Florida, USA | LC-39A, LC-39B |
| Cape Canaveral SFS | Florida, USA | SLC-40, SLC-41 |
| Vandenberg SFB | California, USA | SLC-4E, SLC-6 |
| Mahia Peninsula | New Zealand | LC-1A, LC-1B |
| Kourou | French Guiana | ELA-4 (Ariane 6) |
| Boca Chica (Starbase) | Texas, USA | OLP-A, OLP-B |
| Satish Dhawan | Sriharikota, India | FLP, SLP |
| Wenchang | Hainan, China |
Key 2026 Milestones
Completed so far
- ✓Artemis II — NASA’s first crewed lunar flyby since Apollo, flown April 2026
- ✓Starship Flight 13 — first operational payload deployment (20 Starlink V3 satellites); booster and upper stage both completed controlled ocean splashdowns, though ship-stage recovery was not confirmed, July 2026
- ✓SpaceX’s ~80th Falcon 9 mission of the year before mid-2026 — a record cadence
Still to come in 2026
- ▸Rocket Lab Neutron first flight (targeted late 2026)
- ▸SpaceX Starship propellant-transfer demonstration (late 2026)
- ▸JAXA MMX Mars-moon sample-return mission launch window (October-December)
- ▸ESA PLATO exoplanet telescope launch on Ariane 62 (December)
- ▸BepiColombo arrival at Mercury and Hera arrival at asteroid Didymos (November)
- ▸Amazon Leo (formerly Project Kuiper) constellation buildout toward initial service
How to Track Launches with SpaceNexus
SpaceNexus provides the most comprehensive launch tracking experience available:
- 1Visit the Launch Dashboard for all upcoming missions with countdown timers
- 2Get email alerts for a launch, a rocket or a site — no account needed — a day before, an hour before, and when it flies
- 3Use Mission Control for a real-time overview with live launch status
- 4Track launched payloads on the Satellite Tracker after deployment
- 5Read post-launch analysis in our News feed, auto-tagged by company
Get the week's launches every Monday
Every Monday morning, get a rundown of the week's scheduled launches — vehicle, provider, site, and a direct link back to Mission Control to watch. Part of the SpaceNexus newsletter; unsubscribe anytime.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many rocket launches are expected in 2026?
2026 is on track to exceed the record 324 orbital launch attempts set in 2025. SpaceX alone completed roughly 80 Falcon 9 missions before mid-2026 and is on pace for 150 or more this year, with China conducting 90+ launches and Europe, India, and emerging providers adding the rest.
Where can I watch rocket launches live?
SpaceNexus provides live launch tracking with countdown timers and links to official webcasts. Most launches are streamed live on YouTube by their providers (SpaceX, Rocket Lab, ULA, etc.). SpaceNexus aggregates all launch streams in one place.
What is the most anticipated launch of 2026?
The year's biggest moments have already included Artemis II, NASA's first crewed lunar flyby since Apollo (flown April 2026), and Starship's first operational payload deployment of Starlink V3 satellites in July. Still ahead: Rocket Lab's Neutron debut, SpaceX's Starship propellant-transfer demonstration, JAXA's MMX Mars-moon sample-return launch window (October-December), and ESA's PLATO exoplanet telescope on Ariane 62 in December.
How do I get launch notifications?
Enter your email on any launch, rocket or launch-site page on SpaceNexus and you get three emails for that scope — a day before, an hour before, and when it flies — with no account. The form on this page covers the next launch on the manifest. Signed-in members can also enable push notifications and customise alerts by provider, vehicle or mission type.
What launch vehicles are new in 2026?
Starship reached a major operational milestone in July 2026, deploying its first functioning payloads (Starlink V3). Both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage completed controlled ocean splashdowns on that flight, though recovery/salvage of the floating ship stage was not confirmed. Rocket Lab Neutron is targeting its first flight late in the year, Blue Origin New Glenn is ramping commercial cadence after its 2025 debut, and Relativity Space Terran R and several small launchers from Firefly and international startups round out the new entrants.