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A total of 146 space launches were conducted worldwide in 2021, the highest number since 1957, sending a record number of 1,846 spacecraft with a combined mass of 777.7 tonnes into space, according to a blue paper released Wednesday by China's major space contractor, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).
Throughout the year, the success rate of global space launches reached 92.5 percent, the paper said, noting that space launches were still quite high-risk.
Among all the launches, 55 were carried out by China, the most in the world in the past year. The aggregate weight of spacecraft sent into orbit by China reached 191.19 tonnes, an increase of 85.5 percent from the previous year.
The U.S. came second with 51 launches, but it sent a total of 403.34 tonnes of spacecraft into space, which exceeded the combined mass of spacecraft launched by all the other countries in the year.
Russia, Europe, Japan and India ranked from the third to the sixth in terms of the number of launches, according to the blue paper.
CASC to carry out over 50 space launches in 2022
CASC plans to carry out more than 50 space launches in 2022, sending over 140 spacecraft into space, several Chinese media reported Wednesday, citing Ma Tao, a senior official from CASC.
Six missions related to China's space station construction have been marked as important, including two more cargo ship launches, two more manned Shenzhou spacecraft launches and the launches of two lab modules. Once the six missions are completed, China's space station will be fully built.
The maiden launch of the Long March-6A rocket is also scheduled to take place in 2022.
（CGTN）
