Which US rocket companies achieved the most during 2025?
Once again, Ars Technica is here to provide some answers in the form of our annual power ranking of US launch companies. We began doing this in 2022 and have since put out a top-10 list every year (see 2023 and 2024). Our intent, as always, is to spark debate, discussion, and appreciation for the challenge of operating a successful rocket company. It’s a demanding business, both technically and financially. We respect the grit and hustle because we know just how hard this stuff is.
Please also note that this is a subjective list, although hard metrics such as total launches, tonnage to orbit, success rate, and more were all important factors in the decision. And finally, our focus remains on what each company accomplished in 2025, not on what they might do in the future.
1. SpaceX (no change from 2024)
It was not difficult to select the first-place company on this list. As it has every year in our rankings, SpaceX holds the top spot. As of the first week of December, SpaceX has launched 165 rockets in 2025, the vast majority of which were used Falcon 9 boosters. The company has put more than 1 million kg of cargo into orbit and remains NASA’s essential contractor for keeping the International Space Station operating with a steady rotation of crew and consumables.
Regarding the larger Starship vehicle, this was a frustrating year for SpaceX. The first three launches of the massive rocket (in January, March, and May) resulted in a failure of the Starship upper stage. The last two flights of the year (in August and October) were much more successful, setting the stage for the company to move to its Block 3 version of the vehicle. However, the first of these Block 3 Super Heavy boosters failed catastrophically during pressure testing.