Demand II: Governments, Defence and Human Spaceflight
How much launch will governments buy to 2035, for what, and on what terms?
Chapter summary
Government demand is smaller than constellation demand in launches but larger in value per launch, more stable, and the main reason most launch companies outside SpaceX exist.
Key takeaways
- 1
The US national security launch programme has 54 Lane 2 missions on order for fiscal 2025–2029 and about 30 Lane 1 missions expected through mid-2029; the Space Development Agency's constellation needs about ten launches a year in steady state; Golden Dome could add up to a hundred medium-lift launches a year if it builds a large interceptor layer.
- 2
NASA launched Artemis II on 1 April 2026 on its Space Launch System, the most expensive rocket in service, and depends on Starship for its lunar landings.
- 3
Europe, Japan, India and China buy launch for sovereignty first.
Keep reading with Space access
This chapter (1 exhibits, 983 words) is part of Space & aerospace. Space access opens every chapter of all 11 Space reports, with the interactive models, Excel downloads, Ask and named Atlas records.
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