How many commercial launches take place each year?
The number of launches that takes place each year varies depending on the demand for launch services, launch site schedules, world events, and other factors. In 2001, there was a global total of 16 commercial launches to orbit, five of which were launched by the United States. That year, commercial launches made up 27 percent of all launches. In recent years, there have been as many as 41 commercial launches around the world in a single year, making up half of all launches in a year. It is important to note that the number of commercial launches often trails the number of satellites they loft, as some launches deploy multiple satellites.
