SpaceX completes the last launch of the year; 2022 global launch data released

SpaceX ended a busy 2022 with a 100% success rate of 61 launches throughout the year, almost double the total of 31 launches last year. The Falcon 9 became the rocket with the most launches by a single model in a single year. In August, Musk tweeted that SpaceX was aiming to fly 100 times next year.

SpaceX ends a busy 2022 with 61 launches for the year.

On December 31, SpaceX officially announced that this year’s launch is over, with 61 launches throughout the year, an average of one launch every 6 days. The Falcon 9 becomes the world record holder for the most launches by a single vehicle in a single year.
At 2:38 on December 30th, US Eastern Time, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the Israeli Earth Resources Observation Satellite (EROS C-3) from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, the 11th flight of the first-stage booster and Recycling, completing the last launch of the year. SpaceX achieved its 160th successful recovery.
2022 is by far the most active year for SpaceX. With the completion of the Falcon 9 launch mission of the Israeli Earth Resources Observation Satellite, SpaceX launched a total of 61 times throughout the year, achieving the 60 launch goal set by Musk on Twitter in March this year. Among the 61 launches, one is the Falcon Heavy rocket that “returned to the rivers and lakes” after three years. In November this year, it launched multiple military satellites for the US Space Force.
The success rate of 61 launches is 100%, which is equivalent to one launch every 6 days. The record number of launches set this year is almost double the total number of 31 launches last year. Among the 31 missions in 2021, 17 are dedicated to deploying the “Starlink” satellite network launch. According to SpaceNews, the “Starlink” mission will account for 34 of the 61 launches in 2022.
SpaceX said 92 percent of its missions this year used flight-proven reusable first-stage rocket boosters, and the Falcon 9 is now the world record holder for the most launches by a single rocket type in a year. In August, Musk tweeted that SpaceX was aiming to fly 100 times next year.
According to CBS News, since the debut of the Falcon 9 rocket in 2010, SpaceX has launched a total of 194 Falcon 9 and 4 Falcon Heavy rockets. SpaceX will have more flights in 2023, including two flights of NASA astronauts to the International Space Station, at least two commercial crew flights, two space station cargo flights, and the first orbital launch of SpaceX’s “Starship”.
SpaceX has started the world’s first rocket mission in the new year for many years in a row. On the 31st, SpaceX officially announced that the first launch in 2023 is scheduled for January 3, 2023 Eastern Time. This will be the sixth small satellite launch of the Falcon 9 rocket, carrying 114 payloads.