Global commercial orbital space launches

For my accompanying blogs, see:

This graph is updated monthly.

Global commercial orbital space launches since 1990. Updated as of the Falcon 9 launch of March 3, 2023. Credit: Edgar Zapata, zapatatalksnasa.com

The US Department of Transportation defines a commercial launch as a “launch that is internationally competed (i.e., available in principle to international launch providers) or whose primary payload is commercial in nature”; also FAA licensed launches. So interpreting, Starlink is “commercial in nature” and included here. Cargo and crew to the ISS and NASA science missions are competed and awarded on commercial terms as a service and licensed by the FAA, even if only competed nationally, so also included here.