DBSE

About This Database

A data-rich, source-tracked reference for the space economy: 1957 to today

Disclaimer: this website is a work in progress and the underlying database is still being populated and reconciled across sources. Data may be incomplete or not completely accurate, so use it at your own discretion and verify against the linked primary sources before relying on it.

Sources

SourceTypeUsed for
Launch Library 2 (LL2)REST APILaunches, vehicles, agencies, launch sites (primary, most current)
GCAT (Jonathan McDowell)Bulk data, CC-BY 4.0Satellite and payload catalog: owners, manufacturers, orbits
USAspending.govAPIUS government space contracts and awards
EU CORDIS and TEDAPI / bulk dataEU research grants and public tenders
WikidataSPARQLCompany profiles, cross-reference IDs, structured facts
Wikipedia and manufacturer dataCuratedEngine and vehicle specifications, each row linked to its source

Methodology

Records are matched across sources by ID first (LL2, Wikidata, GCAT and government award IDs), then by normalized name aliases, so the same company or vehicle is counted once. Every entity page has a “Data Sources for This Record” panel listing where its numbers come from.

Cross-entity aggregates (success rate by vehicle family, launches by year, cadence by site) are computed in one place from the same snapshot of the database, so every page shows consistent numbers. Changes to curated tables (companies, vehicles, sites, contracts) are proposed automatically and reviewed before they go live.

Data Freshness

Launches (LL2)Every 6 hours, plus a daily 30-day re-check
Satellites (GCAT)Weekly
Government contractsTwice a month, reviewed
Companies, vehicles, launch sitesMonthly, reviewed
Engine specificationsCurated, updated as engines are added

Pages on this site refresh from the database at least every 6 hours.

Coming in the Future

Planned additions to the database (in v3 or later versions; timelines not committed):

  • Missions and programs tables
  • Financials and unclassified budgets
  • Live satellite tracking
  • Live spacecraft and rocket launch tracking
  • Public API access with CSV export
  • 3D models of selected engines and rockets

There is no public API in v1; internal routes are not stable and should not be built against.

Contact

Work at a space company, or a company that supplies the space industry? We would like to hear from you.

This database is free, and we are building it around what companies actually use. Tell us what is missing, what is wrong, and what would help your team.

Email
Our contact address is coming soon.
  • Correct or add your company's data

    Missing products, wrong headcount, a new launch or contract: send it with a source and we will update the record.

  • Request a dataset or feature

    Tell us which numbers would help your business. Requests from companies shape what we build next.

  • Partnerships and features

    Data partnerships, research collaborations, or having your company's work covered in the monthly blog.

  • Using our charts

    Dashboard charts are free to embed or download with credit to the site. Ask us about anything beyond that.

Image Credits

Page backgrounds are NASA, ESA and Webb photographs. NASA images are public domain; ESA/Webb images are CC BY 4.0.