Yearly number of objects launched into outer space in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Yearly number of objects launched into outer space was 10 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Yearly number of objects launched into outer space in United Kingdom, 1962–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 10 for yearly number of objects launched into outer space in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 67.7% on the previous year and up 42.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, yearly number of objects launched into outer space in United Kingdom peaked at 289 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 1, in 1962.
That places United Kingdom 15th out of 50 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Yearly number of objects launched into outer space in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 1 | — |
| 1964 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1970 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1971 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1974 | 4 | +100.0% |
| 1979 | 2 | -50.0% |
| 1981 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1989 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1990 | 5 | +150.0% |
| 1991 | 1 | -80.0% |
| 1994 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1998 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1999 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 2000 | 4 | +100.0% |
| 2001 | 1 | -75.0% |
| 2003 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 2007 | 2 | -33.3% |
| 2008 | 3 | +50.0% |
| 2009 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 2 | -33.3% |
| 2012 | 4 | +100.0% |
| 2013 | 7 | +75.0% |
| 2014 | 10 | +42.9% |
| 2015 | 7 | -30.0% |
| 2016 | 1 | -85.7% |
| 2017 | 7 | +600.0% |
| 2018 | 12 | +71.4% |
| 2019 | 14 | +16.7% |
| 2020 | 104 | +642.9% |
| 2021 | 289 | +177.9% |
| 2022 | 112 | -61.2% |
| 2023 | 145 | +29.5% |
| 2024 | 31 | -78.6% |
| 2025 | 10 | -67.7% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 10 is above the median for high income countries, which is 5.5, 1.8× the median. (32 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 10 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 4, 2.5× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Yearly number of objects launched into outer space in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +642.9% | 14 | 104 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.25 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 1970s | 2.25 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| 1980s | 1.75 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 1990s | 2.2 | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| 2000s | 2.43 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| 2010s | 6.7 | 1 | 14 | 10 |
| 2020s | 115.17 | 10 | 289 | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More reference data data for United Kingdom
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.13 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.97 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 10.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 15.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 59.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 5.48 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is yearly number of objects launched into outer space in United Kingdom?
- Yearly number of objects launched into outer space in United Kingdom was 10 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest yearly number of objects launched into outer space recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 289 in 2021.
- What is the lowest yearly number of objects launched into outer space recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 in 1962.
- How does United Kingdom rank for yearly number of objects launched into outer space?
- United Kingdom ranks 15th out of 50 countries with data for 2025.
- Is yearly number of objects launched into outer space rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 42.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Yearly number of objects launched into outer space. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 40 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).