US set for a rocket-launching decade as NASA, SpaceX push cadence higher

The FAA forecasts nearly 4,300 U.S. commercial rocket launches from 2026–2036, driven by NASA’s Artemis program, Starlink deployments and a growing private space industry. Florida and California posted record launch years, and officials are exploring regulatory easing and offshore platforms to handle rising demand. Major players like SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, Firefly Aerospace and ULA are expanding cadence, with Artemis III/IV targeting crewed lunar missions in coming years and plans for a moon base by 2032.