Zero failures, zero misses. SpaceX’s 2022 record is notable for its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rocket launches.
2022 may go down as the best year in SpaceX’s history, at least if we look at its launch stats. Indeed, the American company has literally flown over the twelve months of the year, with dozens of launches and, as of December 28, no failures. She was even able to put the Falcon Heavy into action during a launch in November.
If we look back on the past year, SpaceX has carried out 58 takeoffs with its Falcon 9 rocket. This is the group’s main launcher, which is capable of being reused for other launches and whose first stage has the ability to automatically return to Earth. The first shooting of the year took place on January 6.
58 shots is a considerable number: it represents on average more than one shot per week. The American company has moreover just achieve the 58th this December 28 — this is a mission for the benefit of Starlink, its satellite Internet access service, which is experiencing strong growth worldwide. A final shot is expected December 30. It will be the 59th.
If all the takeoffs went well, there are also two other statistics that SpaceX can be proud of: on the one hand, all the missions were completed. The satellites were deployed as planned at the planned altitudes and positions. On the other hand, all Falcon 9 first stage returns were successful. There were no crashes. Zero failures, zero misses.
If we had to find a shadow in this picture, it would perhaps be these three occasions when SpaceX did not attempt a booster recovery. This was true during the flight of the Falcon Heavy (no attempt took place) and during two other flights, on November 12 and 23. Three missed opportunities out of around sixty missions. There are worse results, certainly.
SpaceX had a year marked by various news: it signed with NASA to transport astronauts until 2028. It carried out a private mission aboard the ISS with Axiom Space. He reused the same rocket more than ten times. He chained the shots in a very short time. He discusses with the American space agency to help Hubble. And he unveiled the Starshield project.
A year marked by difficulties, too
Of course, SpaceX has struggled in other areas. Earlier this year, its Starlink service lost forty satellites to a magnetic storm (the group now has hundreds, however). The orbital flight of the Starship did not take place, whereas it was hoped for 2022. New Year’s Eve being imminent, we doubt that there will be an attempt by December 31.
The difficulties encountered with the Starship come in addition to the reproaches which are regularly made to him about Starlink. The increase in satellites for this network of telecommunications satellites is decried by astronomers, who can no longer observe the sky without discomfort from Earth. All this traffic in space is also becoming more difficult to manage and anticipate.
It prevents. SpaceX’s trajectory is spectacular. Now, the company manages the routine transport of astronauts, to the ISS today and as part of the return to the Moon tomorrow. The contrast is in any case striking with Europe, which no longer has access to Soyuz, lost Vega-C on its 2nd flight, is still waiting for Ariane 6 and cannot continue flights with Ariane 5.
