NATO vs United States: Cumulative number of objects launched into space
NATO
5 objects
in 1991
United States
15,677 objects
in 2025
NATO rank
2nd
United States rank
1st
Cumulative number of objects launched into space over time
- NATO
- United States
How they compare
United States currently reports 15,677 objects against 5 objects in NATO, a difference of 15,672 objects.
That makes United States's figure about 3,135.4 times NATO's.
Across all 5 years both countries report, United States has been ahead every year.
NATO ranks 2nd and United States ranks 1st of 2 groups.
United States has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | NATO | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2 objects | 755.33 objects | 753.33 objects | United States |
| 1980s | 4 objects | 1,055 objects | 1,051 objects | United States |
| 1990s | 5 objects | 1,226 objects | 1,221 objects | United States |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher cumulative number of objects launched into space, NATO or United States?
- United States, at 15,677 objects against 5 objects in NATO as of 2025.
- What is the difference in cumulative number of objects launched into space between NATO and United States?
- 15,672 objects, with United States ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for NATO and United States?
- 5 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 1991.
- How do NATO and United States rank globally for cumulative number of objects launched into space?
- NATO ranks 2nd and United States ranks 1st of 2 groups.
- 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.