The Space Age Index Seven decades of orbital launch programs in one place — from Sputnik and the Moon race, through the Shuttle, to the modern commercial era. Compare crewed pioneers, legendary vehicles, and today's launch providers. Pick an era below to change the entire view.

The modern reliability index scores 2000–2026 providers across five weighted dimensions summing to 100. Historic eras are presented for context using each program's own documented record.

In plain terms: most of the score (40 of 100 points) is simply how reliably the rocket delivers its payload — adjusted so a long, proven track record counts for more than a handful of flights (that's what "Wilson-weighted" means: small samples are pulled toward caution until a provider proves itself over many launches). The other 60 points reflect how a provider flies: what happens to spent boosters, how openly it reports problems, how often and how capably it launches, and whether its recent record is improving or slipping.