2023 Global Launched Mass
Astralytical Consulting published an estimate of total launch mass in 2023. Plotting the launch mass since the start of the space age, it is clear that a significant discontinuity happened in 2020. [1]
The amount launched in 2023 was almost 3X the prior peak that happened in 1974 with the Apollo and Skylab programs.
For the past 2 years the increase in launched mass has increased by more than 50% annually!
The supply side continues to improve. In addition to SpaceX's increased pace of operation and introduction of Starship, ARIANESPACE, United Launch Alliance (ULA), and BLUE ORIGIN are planning to add new heavy lift capacity this year. [2] New demand from constellations and announced and space stations will provide help fill those launchers. [3]
This will accelerate the pressure on launch costs and continue the upward trend in launch mass.
This global capacity is now enough to lift the smallest proposed spaced based solar power (SBSP) satellites in less than a year (see [LINK] ). In the very near future, as lift capacity increases, lofting a SBSP satellite will be possible using a small fraction of annual launch capacity.
