SpaceX is aiming to launch 100 rockets this year, another big increase from what the company did in 2022. That will mean they will have to launch on average every three to four days. Will SpaceX be able to pull it off? Keep track below of all of SpaceX’s 2023 launches.
SpaceX launched 98 rockets in 2023, 91 Falcon 9s, five Falcon Heavies, and two Starships.
Table of contents
SpaceX 2023 launches at a glance
Starship not included in success and launch rates.
Number of launches: 98 (Falcon 9: 91, Falcon Heavy: 5, Starship: 2)
Non-Starlink launches: 34
Launch success rate: 100%
Launch rate: 3.8 days (Needed for 100 launches: 3.65 or lower)
East Coast launches: 68 (LC-39A: 13, SLC-40: 55)
Gulf Coast launches: 2 (Starbase)
West Coast launches: 28 (SLC-4E)
Total payload mass: ~1,237,085 kg (Not including classified and rideshare missions, or crew)
Total crew: 12 (Government: 10, Commercial: 2)
Landings at a glance
Starship not included
Number of landings: 99
Landing success rate: 100%
Ground landings: 21 (LZ-1: 10, LZ-2: 4, LZ-4: 7)
Droneship landings: 78 (OCISLY: 21, JRTI: 28, ASOG: 29)
The year of the heavy
In 2023 we expect a total of five Falcon Heavy launches, the most ever attempted by SpaceX. The once king of launchers, dethroned by NASA’s Space Launch System, is still the most powerful commercial rocket on the market, until Starship comes online. It was first launched in 2018, showing off what it could do by throwing Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster in orbit around the Sun, close to Mars’ orbit. Since then, it has only launched five times, the most recent being in January 2023.
SpaceX was selected for 40% of the Space Force’s National Security Space Launch Phase 2 contract, and the company began launching those missions on Falcon Heavies late last year. Another NSSL mission is slated to take place in April, with three more commercially purchased heavy rockets rounding out the year from ViaSat, EchoStar, and NASA.
SpaceX could push record for most crewed flights yet
In 2021 and 2020, SpaceX launched three crewed flights on its Falcon 9 rocket with Crew Dragon spacecraft, two for NASA and one commercial. This year SpaceX could break that record with likely four but maybe even five or six crewed flights. Two of those flights will be NASA crew rotations to the International Space Station, Crew-6 and Crew-7. Another will be Polaris Dawn, the first mission of the Polaris Program, and will demonstrate SpaceX’s first spacewalk. That launch is slated no earlier than March 2023.
The wild card for how big this new record would be will be Axiom missions. Last year we saw Axiom 1 launch with four commercial astronauts to research on the ISS alongside government astronauts. In 2023, SpaceX could launch up to three Axiom missions. However, we only know crew and date details for Axiom 2. Axiom 2 is set to launch former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, former race car driver John Schoffner, and two unknown crew members from Saudi Arabia. The launch is set for no earlier than May.
Debut of Starship rocket on the horizon
Somewhere on the horizon is the first orbital launch of SpaceX’s Starship rocket in 2023. (This happened) Of course, more testing is required, and who knows what needs to be done to get the FAA’s approval but with the green light given to proceed after the FAA’s environmental review, SpaceX is focused on getting one launched.
I think if SpaceX could get its first Starship launched in the first half of 2023, more launches could come in the second half. However, with all Starship news, we will see what happens when it actually happens and not a moment sooner.
List of SpaceX launches in 2023
| Date (UTC) | Mission | Rocket / Booster(s) | Launch Pad | Landing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 3 | Transporter-6 | Falcon 9 (B1060.15) | SLC-40 | LZ-1 |
| January 10 | OneWeb 16 | Falcon 9 (B1076.2) | SLC-40 | LZ-1 |
| January 15 | USSF-67 | Falcon Heavy (B1070, B1064.2, B1065.2) | LC-39A | LZ-1 & 2 |
| January 18 | GPS III-06 (Amelia Earhart) | Falcon 9 (B1077.2) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| January 19 | Starlink Group 2-4 | Falcon 9 (B1075.1) | SLC-4E | OCISLY |
| January 26 | Starlink Group 5-2 | Falcon 9 (B1067.9) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| January 31 | Starlink Group 2-6 | Falcon 9 (B1071.7) | SLC-4E | OCISLY |
| February 2 | Starlink Group 5-3 | Falcon 9 (B1069.5) | LC-39A | ASOG |
| February 6 | Amazonas Nexus | Falcon 9 (B1073.6) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| February 12 | Starlink Group 5-4 | Falcon 9 (B1062.12) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| February 17 | Starlink Group 2-5 | Falcon 9 (B1063.9) | SLC-4E | OCISLY |
| February 18 | Inmarsat-6 F2 | Falcon 9 (B1077.3) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| February 27 | Starlink Group 6-1 | Falcon 9 (B1076.3) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| March 2 | Crew-6 (Endeavour) | Falcon 9 (B1078.1) | LC-39A | JRTI |
| March 3 | Starlink Group 2-7 | Falcon 9 (B1061.12) | SLC-4E | OCISLY |
| March 9 | OneWeb 17 | Falcon 9 (B1062.13) | SLC-40 | LZ-1 |
| March 15 | SpaceX CRS-27 (C209.3) | Falcon 9 (B1073.7) | LC-39A | ASOG |
| March 17 | Starlink Group 2-8 | Falcon 9 (B1071.8) | SLC-4E | OCISLY |
| March 17 | SES-18 & 19 | Falcon 9 (B1069.6) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| March 24 | Starlink Group 5-5 | Falcon 9 (B1067.10) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| March 29 | Starlink Group 5-10 | Falcon 9 (B1077.4) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| April 2 | SDA Tranche 0A | Falcon 9 (B1075.2) | SLC-4E | LZ-4 |
| April 7 | Intelsat 40e / TEMPO | Falcon 9 (B1076.4) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| April 15 | Transporter-7 | Falcon 9 (B1063.10) | SLC-4E | LZ-4 |
| April 19 | Starlink Group 6-2 | Falcon 9 (B1073.8) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| April 20 | Integrated Flight Test | Starship (Ship 24, Booster 7) | Starbase | None |
| April 27 | Starlink Group 3-5 | Falcon 9 (B1061.13) | SLC-4E | OCISLY |
| April 28 | O3b mPOWER 3 & 4 | Falcon 9 (B1078.2) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| April 30 | ViaSat 3 Americas | Falcon Heavy (B1068, B1052.8, B1053.3) | LC-39A | None |
| May 4 | Starlink Group 5-6 | Falcon 9 (B1069.7) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| May 10 | Starlink Group 2-9 | Falcon 9 (B1075.3) | SLC-4E | OCISLY |
| May 14 | Starlink Group 5-9 | Falcon 9 (1067.11) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| May 19 | Starlink Group 6-3 | Falcon 9 (B1076.5) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| May 20 | Iridium-NEXT/OneWeb | Falcon 9 (B1063.11) | SLC-4E | OCISLY |
| May 21 | Axiom-2 (Freedom) | Falcon 9 (B1080.1) | LC-39A | LZ-1 |
| May 27 | Arabsat 7B | Falcon 9 (B1062.14) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| May 31 | Starlink Group 2-10 | Falcon 9 (B1061.14) | SLC-4E | OCISLY |
| June 4 | Starlink Group 6-4 | Falcon 9 (B1078.3) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| June 5 | SpaceX CRS-28 (C208.4) | Falcon 9 (B1077.5) | LC-39A | ASOG |
| June 12 | Starlink Group 5-11 | Falcon 9 (B1073.9) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| June 12 | Transporter-8 | Falcon 9 (B1071.9) | SLC-4E | LZ-4 |
| June 18 | SATRIA | Falcon 9 (B1067.12) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| June 22 | Starlink Group 5-7 | Falcon 9 (B1075.4) | SLC-4E | OCISLY |
| June 23 | Starlink Group 5-12 | Falcon 9 (B1069.8) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| July 1 | Euclid | Falcon 9 (B1080.2) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| July 7 | Starlink Group 5-13 | Falcon 9 (B1063.12) | SLC-4E | OCISLY |
| July 10 | Starlink Group 6-5 | Falcon 9 (B1058.16) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| July 16 | Starlink Group 5-15 | Falcon 9 (B1060.16) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| July 20 | Starlink Group 6-15 | Falcon 9 (B1071.10) | SLC-4E | OCISLY |
| July 24 | Starlink Group 6-6 | Falcon 9 (B1076.6) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| July 28 | Starlink Group 6-7 | Falcon 9 (B1062.15) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| July 29 | Jupiter 3 | Falcon Heavy (B1074, B1064.3, B1065.3) | LC-39A | LZ-1 & 2 |
| August 3 | Galaxy 37 | Falcon 9 (B1077.6) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| August 6 | Starlink Group 6-8 | Falcon 9 (B1078.4) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| August 8 | Starlink Group 6-20 | Falcon 9 (B1075.5) | SLC-4E | OCISLY |
| August 11 | Starlink Group 6-9 | Falcon 9 (B1069.9) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| August 17 | Starlink Group 6-10 | Falcon 9 (B1067.13) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| August 22 | Starlink Group 7-1 | Falcon 9 (B1061.15) | SLC-4E | OCISLY |
| August 26 | Crew-7 (Endurance) | Falcon 9 (B1081.1) | LC-39A | LZ-1 |
| August 27 | Starlink Group 6-11 | Falcon 9 (B1080.3) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| August 31 | Starlink Group 6-13 | Falcon 9 (B1077.7) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| September 2 | SDA Tracking and Transport Layer (Tranche 0B) | Falcon 9 (B1063.13) | SLC-4E | LZ-4 |
| September 4 | Starlink Group 6-12 | Falcon 9 (B1073.10) | LC-39A | JRTI |
| September 9 | Starlink Group 6-14 | Falcon 9 (B1076.7) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| September 12 | Starlink Group 7-2 | Falcon 9 (B1071.11) | SLC-4E | OCISLY |
| September 16 | Starlink Group 6-16 | Falcon 9 (B1078.5) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| September 20 | Starlink Group 6-17 | Falcon 9 (B1058.17) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| September 24 | Starlink Group 6-18 | Falcon 9 (B1060.17) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| September 25 | Starlink Group 7-3 | Falcon 9 (B1075.6) | SLC-4E | OCISLY |
| September 30 | Starlink Group 6-19 | Falcon 9 (B1069.10) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| October 5 | Starlink Group 6-21 | Falcon 9 (B1076.8) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| October 9 | Starlink Group 7-4 | Falcon 9 (B1063.14) | SLC-4E | OCISLY |
| October 13 | NASA Psyche | Falcon Heavy (B1079, B1064.4, B1065.4) | LC-39A | LZ-1 & 2 |
| October 13 | Starlink Group 6-22 | Falcon 9 (B1067.14) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| October 18 | Starlink Group 6-23 | Falcon 9 (B1052.16) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| October 21 | Starlink Group 7-5 | Falcon 9 (B1061.16) | SLC-4E | OCISLY |
| October 22 | Starlink Group 6-24 | Falcon 9 (B1080.4) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| October 29 | Starlink Group 7-6 | Falcon 9 (B1075.7) | SLC-4E | OCISLY |
| October 30 | Starlink Group 6-25 | Falcon 9 (B1077.8) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| November 4 | Starlink Group 6-26 | Falcon 9 (B1058.18) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| November 8 | Starlink Group 6-27 | Falcon 9 (B1073.11) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| November 10 | SpaceX CRS-29 (C211.2) | Falcon 9 (B1081.2) | LC-39A | LZ-1 |
| November 11 | Transporter-9 | Falcon 9 (B1071.12) | SLC-4E | LZ-4 |
| November 12 | O3b mPOWER 5 & 6 | Falcon 9 (B1076.9) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| November 18 | Starlink Group 6-28 | Falcon 9 (B1069.11) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| November 18 | Integrated Flight Test-2 | Starship (Ship 25, Booster 9) | Starbase | None |
| November 20 | Starlink Group 7-7 | Falcon 9 (B1063.15) | SLC-4E | OCISLY |
| November 22 | Starlink Group 6-29 | Falcon 9 (B1067.15) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| November 28 | Starlink Group 6-30 | Falcon 9 (B1062.17) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| December 1 | 425 Project / EIRSAT-1 | Falcon 9 (B1061.17) | SLC-4E | LZ-4 |
| December 3 | Starlink Group 6-31 | Falcon 9 (B1078.6) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| December 7 | Starlink Group 6-33 | Falcon 9 (B1077.9) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| December 8 | Starlink Group 7-8 | Falcon 9 (B1071.13) | SLC-4E | OCISLY |
| December 19 | Starlink Group 6-34 | Falcon 9 (B1081.3) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
| December 23 | Starlink Group 6-32 | Falcon 9 (B1058.19) | SLC-40 | JRTI |
| December 24 | SARah 2 & 3 | Falcon 9 (B1075.8) | SLC-4E | LZ-4 |
| December 29 | USSF-52 | Falcon Heavy (B1084, B1064.5, B1065.5) | LC-39A | LZ-1 & 2 |
| December 29 | Starlink Group 6-36 | Falcon 9 (B1069.12) | SLC-40 | ASOG |
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