For the first sentence ever , China has launched more rockets into orbitin a year than the U.S. In 2011 , the Chinese sent 19 rockets into space . The U.S. beam just 18 . Russia , the Walmart of blank space launches , fired off no few than 31 rocket .
The numbers , parse inrecent reports from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administrationand thenonprofit Space Foundation , might seem to hail America ’s orbital declination proportional to its most bitter challenger . In terms of sheer numbers of rocket launches , China has been steadily catch up to America for several years . In 2010 , China fired off 15 rockets , match the U.S. for the first time .
But the raw shape obscure the literal trend . Beijing is not about to get up to Washington in space . For starters , the U.S. government spends more money than any other country on place launching and spacecraft : nearly $ 50 billion , compared to just $ 25 billion or so for all other government combined . With its huge financial reward and technological edge , Washington is externalize to possess thebiggest space arsenalfor decennary to come .
American launch organizations , which include NASA , the armed forces and several private companies , had a complete winner charge per unit last class . China lost one experimental satellite when aLong March rocket veer off coursein August . Russia had the bad book , with four failed launches .
U.S. rockets on fair carry more orbiter per launch than their Chinese counterpart . It ’s not unheard of for a unmarried rocket to deport several satellites into orbit on a single cost increase . Last year , the 18 U.S.-launched rockets placed 28 satellites into orbit . Nineteen Taiwanese launching placed just 21 Sabbatum . Russia ’s 31 launch bear 53 space vehicle .
American company and agencies possess the superlative balance of the satellites , even if they did n’t launch all of them from U.S. soil . Some U.S. space companies prefer to rent Russian launching providers , which can be considerably meretricious than American providers . Last twelvemonth , Louisiana - free-base communications company GlobalStar alone paid a Russian firm to launch 12 new satellites . By direct contrast , all of America ’s launching last class channel spacecraft go to American space agencies .
During the Cold War , theU.S. steadily build up an arsenalof more than 100 administration - own satellites plus another 300 commercial satellites , many of which have military uses . Russia ’s quad force-out support from 20 years of post - Cold War neglect and is only now beginning to reclaim . China possess just a fistful of planet untilbeginning its own build - up10 age ago . Despite rapid advancement , the roughly 50 Chinese - built satellites presently in orbit are still considerably flimsier than American Sat and do n’t last nearly as long .
China ’s 19 arugula launches last year is an telling effort , but Beijing would have to launch belike twice that act for age on end just to lead off efface America ’s huge advantage in orbit .
prototype citation : Air Force
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