China vs NATO: Cumulative number of objects launched into space
China
1,759 objects
in 2025
NATO
5 objects
in 1991
China rank
3rd
NATO rank
2nd
Cumulative number of objects launched into space over time
- China
- NATO
How they compare
China currently reports 1,759 objects against 5 objects in NATO, a difference of 1,754 objects.
That makes China's figure about 351.8 times NATO's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 5 shared years of data; in 1970 it was NATO ahead.
China ranks 3rd and NATO ranks 2nd of 50 countries.
China has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | NATO | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.67 objects | 2 objects | 1.67 objects | China |
| 1980s | 17 objects | 4 objects | 13 objects | China |
| 1990s | 33 objects | 5 objects | 28 objects | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher cumulative number of objects launched into space, China or NATO?
- China, at 1,759 objects against 5 objects in NATO as of 2025.
- What is the difference in cumulative number of objects launched into space between China and NATO?
- 1,754 objects, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and NATO?
- 5 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 1991.
- How do China and NATO rank globally for cumulative number of objects launched into space?
- China ranks 3rd and NATO ranks 2nd of 50 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Cumulative number of objects launched into space. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Cumulative number of satellites, probes, landers, crewed spacecrafts, and space station flight elements, launched into Earth orbit or beyond.