China vs NATO: Annual number of objects launched into space
China
374 objects
in 2025
NATO
1 objects
in 1991
China rank
2nd
NATO rank
2nd
Annual number of objects launched into space over time
- China
- NATO
How they compare
China currently reports 374 objects against 1 objects in NATO, a difference of 373 objects.
That makes China's figure about 374.0 times NATO's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 5 shared years of data; in 1970 it was NATO ahead.
China ranks 2nd 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 | 1.33 objects | 1 objects | 0.3333 objects | China |
| 1980s | 3 objects | 1 objects | 2 objects | China |
| 1990s | 1 objects | 1 objects | 0 objects | — |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual number of objects launched into space, China or NATO?
- China, at 374 objects against 1 objects in NATO as of 2025.
- What is the difference in annual number of objects launched into space between China and NATO?
- 373 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 annual number of objects launched into space?
- China ranks 2nd 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 Annual 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
Annual number of satellites, probes, landers, crewed spacecrafts, and space station flight elements, launched into Earth orbit or beyond.