(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The Space Foundation in Colorado Springs highlighted the busiest year ever for space on Wednesday, Jan. 24. Not only does this mean new advancements in technology and science, but also a boon to the city’s economy.

In 2023, global launch activity broke new records for the third year in a row, with 223 launch attempts and 212 successful launches. The United States saw a 33% increase in launch attempts.

“The fascinating and exciting part about all of that is we see that trend continue to climb,” said Lesley Conn, director of research and digital programming for the Space Foundation.

Commercial space was the fastest growing sector in launch activity with an increase of 50% from 2022, sending more payload into space and providing more satellite and internet service to us on earth, including satellites that can deliver signals directly to a cell phone.

“There’s so many exciting advancements on the cusp that are just beginning to grow and develop. That all spurs not only economic development, but job creation as well,” Conn said.

These new devlopments impacted not just the Space Foundation, but other businesses in Colorado Springs.

“The aerospace and defense space sector is about 43% of our economy in the Pikes Peak region,” said Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer, president and CEO of the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC. “We’ll be at a number of defense and space conferences this year starting with the space symposium that’s brought to us by the Space Foundation yearly.”

With exploration continuing in the final frontier, new developments are touching down right in our own backyard.

“The James Webb Space Telescope, for example — the science that helped develop the lenses — was directly correlated to improving Lasik surgery,” Conn said. “The research that’s done on the International Space Station, the medical and pharmaceutical research that has come out of that benefits all of us here on Earth.”

Looking to the future of the cosmos, the Space Foundation said they are shooting for the stars in 2024.

“The big thing to look for in 2024 is the debut of a number of launch vehicles,” Conn said. “We’ll be increasing the number of space stations that will increase the medical research, the microgravity research. And it will just continue to have a ripple effect on the global economy.”

Also, the Space Discovery Center is boldly going where no museum has gone before, as it is currently under construction to bring new exhibits and expand the square footage of the building.

Its debut will be tied with the 2024 Space Symposium on April 8.