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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_in_spaceflight https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_in_spaceflight In 2020, China has launched more rockets to space than any

by babesh 6y ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_in_spaceflight https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_in_spaceflight In 2020, China has launched more rockets to space than any other nation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chang%27e_5 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chang%27e_5 It has a mission to bring lunar rock back to earth for the first time since the 70s. So I would say that China has put quite a bit of energy in this area and is moving faster than other nations but not as fast as SpaceX.

babesh 6y ago
Opps. US passed China with the last few flights. Counting SpaceX and Electron in the US stats.
- oska 6y ago
  And SpaceX has another 3 launches planned for December (SXM-7, NROL-108 & Turksat 5A). Although the last one is on Dec 31, so could easily slip into next year.
NikolaeVarius 6y ago
Why do the US numbers include electron?
- skissane 6y ago
  Because the statistics are based on the nationality of company/agency that designs and builds the launch vehicle, not the launch site. So even though Soyuz launches from Kazakhstan and French Guiana, it is counted as a Russian launch since a Russian company (Energia) designed and built the rocket. Similarly, even though a lot of Electron launches are from New Zealand, the company that builds Electron is ultimately US-headquartered/US-controlled. (Rocket Lab was originally founded in New Zealand, but they moved their HQ and parent company to the US so are now considered a US company rather than a New Zealand one.)
valuearb 6y ago
China launches a bunch of obsolete rockets with relatively small capacities. Long march 3 has half the capacity of a Falcon 9, Long March 2 is about one seventh the payload capacity. They should be justly proud of their robotic lunar missions though.
nickik 6y ago
Go look at how much payload by weight was launched by China. Or how many different payloads. > It has a mission to bring lunar rock back to earth for the first time since the 70s. Yes its a fine mission, but its a mission that is not outside of the capability of others. There are simply many space missions that could be done. Yes, China is doing things and the are moving fast, but your prediction and text were still over the top.
- babesh 6y ago
  That wasn’t my prediction. It was from another poster.

by babesh 6y ago

babesh 6y ago

Opps. US passed China with the last few flights. Counting SpaceX and Electron in the US stats.

oska 6y ago
And SpaceX has another 3 launches planned for December (SXM-7, NROL-108 & Turksat 5A). Although the last one is on Dec 31, so could easily slip into next year.

NikolaeVarius 6y ago

Why do the US numbers include electron?

skissane 6y ago
Because the statistics are based on the nationality of company/agency that designs and builds the launch vehicle, not the launch site. So even though Soyuz launches from Kazakhstan and French Guiana, it is counted as a Russian launch since a Russian company (Energia) designed and built the rocket. Similarly, even though a lot of Electron launches are from New Zealand, the company that builds Electron is ultimately US-headquartered/US-controlled. (Rocket Lab was originally founded in New Zealand, but they moved their HQ and parent company to the US so are now considered a US company rather than a New Zealand one.)

valuearb 6y ago

China launches a bunch of obsolete rockets with relatively small capacities. Long march 3 has half the capacity of a Falcon 9, Long March 2 is about one seventh the payload capacity. They should be justly proud of their robotic lunar missions though.

nickik 6y ago

Go look at how much payload by weight was launched by China. Or how many different payloads. > It has a mission to bring lunar rock back to earth for the first time since the 70s. Yes its a fine mission, but its a mission that is not outside of the capability of others. There are simply many space missions that could be done. Yes, China is doing things and the are moving fast, but your prediction and text were still over the top.

babesh 6y ago
That wasn’t my prediction. It was from another poster.