How many satellites are above us right now?

A crowded orbit

A crowded orbit, Keeping count in the final frontier, Starlink’s sky-high ambitions, The invisible threat above, A space traffic jam, What if space went silent?, SpaceX’s responsibility, The satellite boom is just getting started, LEO: the satellite sweet spot, All aboard the Starlink train, Satellite, or star?, Satellite speeds explained, Starlink’s short lifespan, A call to protect the night sky, The impact of satellite glare

For the first time ever, over 10,000 active satellites are circling Earth, buzzing overhead at incredible speeds and reshaping how we connect, communicate, and observe our planet.

Keeping count in the final frontier

A crowded orbit, Keeping count in the final frontier, Starlink’s sky-high ambitions, The invisible threat above, A space traffic jam, What if space went silent?, SpaceX’s responsibility, The satellite boom is just getting started, LEO: the satellite sweet spot, All aboard the Starlink train, Satellite, or star?, Satellite speeds explained, Starlink’s short lifespan, A call to protect the night sky, The impact of satellite glare

According to astronomer Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, there are now 10,036 active satellites circling Earth, a number that underscores just how fast our skies are filling up.

A crowded orbit, Keeping count in the final frontier, Starlink’s sky-high ambitions, The invisible threat above, A space traffic jam, What if space went silent?, SpaceX’s responsibility, The satellite boom is just getting started, LEO: the satellite sweet spot, All aboard the Starlink train, Satellite, or star?, Satellite speeds explained, Starlink’s short lifespan, A call to protect the night sky, The impact of satellite glare

McDowell’s data shows Starlink satellites now make up around 60% of all active satellites. With plans to grow the fleet to 12,000 (and possibly over 40,000), SpaceX is reshaping the orbital landscape like never before.

The invisible threat above

A crowded orbit, Keeping count in the final frontier, Starlink’s sky-high ambitions, The invisible threat above, A space traffic jam, What if space went silent?, SpaceX’s responsibility, The satellite boom is just getting started, LEO: the satellite sweet spot, All aboard the Starlink train, Satellite, or star?, Satellite speeds explained, Starlink’s short lifespan, A call to protect the night sky, The impact of satellite glare

Beyond the 28,000 tracked objects, space is littered with over 170 million smaller, untracked fragments, this according to an estimate by NASA and the US Air Force. Even tiny debris can cause major damage at orbital speeds, posing real risks to satellites and space stations.

A space traffic jam

A crowded orbit, Keeping count in the final frontier, Starlink’s sky-high ambitions, The invisible threat above, A space traffic jam, What if space went silent?, SpaceX’s responsibility, The satellite boom is just getting started, LEO: the satellite sweet spot, All aboard the Starlink train, Satellite, or star?, Satellite speeds explained, Starlink’s short lifespan, A call to protect the night sky, The impact of satellite glare

The nightmare scenario? Kessler syndrome, or a chain reaction of satellite collisions that fills orbit with fast-moving debris, making space too dangerous for future missions. It’s theoretical for now, but, with rising satellite numbers, it’s a growing concern.

What if space went silent?

A crowded orbit, Keeping count in the final frontier, Starlink’s sky-high ambitions, The invisible threat above, A space traffic jam, What if space went silent?, SpaceX’s responsibility, The satellite boom is just getting started, LEO: the satellite sweet spot, All aboard the Starlink train, Satellite, or star?, Satellite speeds explained, Starlink’s short lifespan, A call to protect the night sky, The impact of satellite glare

Imagine a world without GPS, weather forecasts, global internet, or satellite communications. If orbit became too dangerous to access, the impact on modern life would be immediate and massive.

SpaceX’s responsibility

A crowded orbit, Keeping count in the final frontier, Starlink’s sky-high ambitions, The invisible threat above, A space traffic jam, What if space went silent?, SpaceX’s responsibility, The satellite boom is just getting started, LEO: the satellite sweet spot, All aboard the Starlink train, Satellite, or star?, Satellite speeds explained, Starlink’s short lifespan, A call to protect the night sky, The impact of satellite glare

Most active satellites are operated by SpaceX, which has a vested interest in ensuring smooth operations in orbit. Their leadership could play a crucial role in managing the growing space traffic.

The satellite boom is just getting started

A crowded orbit, Keeping count in the final frontier, Starlink’s sky-high ambitions, The invisible threat above, A space traffic jam, What if space went silent?, SpaceX’s responsibility, The satellite boom is just getting started, LEO: the satellite sweet spot, All aboard the Starlink train, Satellite, or star?, Satellite speeds explained, Starlink’s short lifespan, A call to protect the night sky, The impact of satellite glare

Today’s 10,000 satellites are only the beginning. With Amazon’s Project Kuiper launching soon, more space stations on the horizon, and orbital tourism taking off, the next wave of space traffic is already lining up for liftoff.

LEO: the satellite sweet spot

A crowded orbit, Keeping count in the final frontier, Starlink’s sky-high ambitions, The invisible threat above, A space traffic jam, What if space went silent?, SpaceX’s responsibility, The satellite boom is just getting started, LEO: the satellite sweet spot, All aboard the Starlink train, Satellite, or star?, Satellite speeds explained, Starlink’s short lifespan, A call to protect the night sky, The impact of satellite glare

Most satellites call low-Earth orbit (LEO) home, hovering between 125 miles (200 km) and 1,250 miles (2,000 km) above us. It’s the preferred zone for communication, imaging, and internet satellites, thanks to its proximity and efficiency.

A crowded orbit, Keeping count in the final frontier, Starlink’s sky-high ambitions, The invisible threat above, A space traffic jam, What if space went silent?, SpaceX’s responsibility, The satellite boom is just getting started, LEO: the satellite sweet spot, All aboard the Starlink train, Satellite, or star?, Satellite speeds explained, Starlink’s short lifespan, A call to protect the night sky, The impact of satellite glare

You’re more likely to spot a crowd of satellites when a freshly launched “Starlink train” passes by; those eerie strings of moving lights are clusters of new satellites on their way to final orbit.

Satellite, or star?

A crowded orbit, Keeping count in the final frontier, Starlink’s sky-high ambitions, The invisible threat above, A space traffic jam, What if space went silent?, SpaceX’s responsibility, The satellite boom is just getting started, LEO: the satellite sweet spot, All aboard the Starlink train, Satellite, or star?, Satellite speeds explained, Starlink’s short lifespan, A call to protect the night sky, The impact of satellite glare

To spot a satellite, look for a single point of light gliding smoothly across the sky; stars, for their part, twinkle and stay put.

Satellite speeds explained

A crowded orbit, Keeping count in the final frontier, Starlink’s sky-high ambitions, The invisible threat above, A space traffic jam, What if space went silent?, SpaceX’s responsibility, The satellite boom is just getting started, LEO: the satellite sweet spot, All aboard the Starlink train, Satellite, or star?, Satellite speeds explained, Starlink’s short lifespan, A call to protect the night sky, The impact of satellite glare

Satellites in low-Earth orbit zoom around the planet at a blistering 17,800 m/h (28,800 km/h), which is roughly 90 times faster than a bullet train!

A crowded orbit, Keeping count in the final frontier, Starlink’s sky-high ambitions, The invisible threat above, A space traffic jam, What if space went silent?, SpaceX’s responsibility, The satellite boom is just getting started, LEO: the satellite sweet spot, All aboard the Starlink train, Satellite, or star?, Satellite speeds explained, Starlink’s short lifespan, A call to protect the night sky, The impact of satellite glare

SpaceX’s Starlink satellites are built to last only five years before being deorbited. As mentioned earlier, they burn up upon reentry, reducing the chance of adding to the growing problem of space debris.

A call to protect the night sky

A crowded orbit, Keeping count in the final frontier, Starlink’s sky-high ambitions, The invisible threat above, A space traffic jam, What if space went silent?, SpaceX’s responsibility, The satellite boom is just getting started, LEO: the satellite sweet spot, All aboard the Starlink train, Satellite, or star?, Satellite speeds explained, Starlink’s short lifespan, A call to protect the night sky, The impact of satellite glare

Thomas Schildknecht, deputy director of the University of Bern’s Astronomical Institute, urged the United Nations at a European Space Agency conference to safeguard the night sky as a cultural heritage, in response to the growing threat posed by megaconstellations.

The impact of satellite glare

A crowded orbit, Keeping count in the final frontier, Starlink’s sky-high ambitions, The invisible threat above, A space traffic jam, What if space went silent?, SpaceX’s responsibility, The satellite boom is just getting started, LEO: the satellite sweet spot, All aboard the Starlink train, Satellite, or star?, Satellite speeds explained, Starlink’s short lifespan, A call to protect the night sky, The impact of satellite glare

The sheer number of satellites being launched, along with their unexpected brightness due to sunlight reflection, has caught many satellite operators off guard. The intense glare could have unforeseen consequences for both astronomy and our view of the night sky.

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