Live count
How many satellites are in orbit?
As of 5 October 2026, 14:00 UTC, there are 16,624 active satellites in orbit, by CelesTrak's active list and our definition of active (below). 11,146 of them, 67.0 percent, are Starlink.
- 16,624Active satellites
- 11,146Starlink satellites, 67.0 percent of the active total
- 160Active satellites launched in the 30 days before the data time
How many satellites are in orbit?
16,624 satellites are active in orbit as of 5 October 2026. That is the number of active satellites on CelesTrak's current list, using our definition of active (below). Of these, 11,146 belong to the Starlink network.
What counts as an active satellite?
We count objects the catalogue types as satellites (not rocket bodies or debris) whose recorded status is Operational, Partially operational, Backup or standby, Spare or Extended mission. This is our definition, not CelesTrak's. The table lists every status among the catalogue's satellites, so you can add them up your own way.
| Status | Satellites |
|---|---|
| Not known | 1 |
| Operational | 16,165 |
| Partially operational | 421 |
| Backup or standby | 24 |
| Spare | 5 |
| Extended mission | 9 |
| Not operational | 2 |
Which countries and operators have the most satellites?
United States has the most, with 12,526 active satellites. Owners are shown as the catalogue records them, which mixes countries and organisations.
| Owner | Active satellites |
|---|---|
| United States | 12,526 |
| People's Republic of China | 1,541 |
| United Kingdom | 697 |
| Commonwealth of Independent States (former USSR) | 380 |
| Japan | 134 |
| To Be Determined | 112 |
| Italy | 78 |
| India | 77 |
| France | 70 |
| European Space Agency | 68 |
| All other owners | 941 |
Where are the satellites?
Most active satellites are in low Earth orbit, where the Starlink network lives. The table groups every active satellite by its orbit. These groupings are our working definitions, not a standard: a high elliptical orbit is one with an eccentricity of 0.25 or more, and the other groups use the satellite's mean altitude.
| Orbit | Active satellites |
|---|---|
| Low Earth orbit (below 2,000 km) | 15,812 |
| Medium Earth orbit (2,000 to 35,585 km) | 186 |
| Geostationary belt (35,586 to 35,986 km) | 567 |
| High elliptical (eccentricity 0.25 or more) | 43 |
| Beyond the geostationary belt | 16 |
What are the satellites for?
Purposes are CelesTrak's own groupings, a convenience and not a statement of a satellite's mission. "Unspecified" means the catalogue has no grouping for that satellite.
| Purpose | Active satellites |
|---|---|
| Broadband internet | 12,634 |
| Unspecified | 2,009 |
| Earth observation | 455 |
| Amateur radio | 419 |
| Geostationary | 352 |
| Communications | 315 |
| Navigation | 107 |
| Search and rescue | 83 |
| Weather and climate | 56 |
| Data relay | 47 |
| Science | 35 |
| CubeSat | 26 |
| Military | 23 |
| Engineering test | 21 |
| Space station | 21 |
| Geodesy | 10 |
| Radar | 10 |
| Education | 1 |
How fast is the number growing?
The chart shows when today's active satellites were launched. It counts satellites still active now, grouped by launch year. It is not a count of launches in each year, because satellites launched earlier and since retired are not in it.
| Launch year | Active satellites |
|---|---|
| Earlier | 446 |
| 2012 | 63 |
| 2013 | 96 |
| 2014 | 111 |
| 2015 | 96 |
| 2016 | 84 |
| 2017 | 136 |
| 2018 | 194 |
| 2019 | 145 |
| 2020 | 371 |
| 2021 | 993 |
| 2022 | 1,724 |
| 2023 | 2,267 |
| 2024 | 2,436 |
| 2025 | 4,291 |
| 2026 | 3,171 |
What this count does not include
This page counts active satellites only. It does not count defunct satellites, rocket bodies or most debris, because the data behind it is CelesTrak's list of active satellites. The feed also carries four named debris clouds, but those are not the total amount of debris in orbit and we do not present them as one. Counts of everything tracked in orbit also include defunct satellites, rocket bodies and debris, so they are larger than this one and come from other data.
How we count
- Source: CelesTrak's current orbital element sets for its active list, with each object's owner, launch date, type and status from CelesTrak's satellite catalogue. The data time above is when we last read them.
- An active satellite is a catalogue satellite with a status of Operational, Partially operational, Backup or standby, Spare or Extended mission.
- Starlink satellites are those whose catalogue name contains STARLINK.
- The orbit groups are our working definitions: eccentricity of 0.25 or more is high elliptical; otherwise mean altitude below 2,000 km is low, from 2,000 km up to 35,585 km is medium, 35,586 to 35,986 km is the geostationary belt, and anything higher is beyond it.
- Other trackers use other definitions and other data, so their totals can differ from ours.
Frequently asked questions
How many satellites are in orbit right now?
As of 5 October 2026, 16,624 active satellites, on CelesTrak's active list and our definition of active.
How many of them are Starlink?
11,146, which is 67.0 percent of the active total.
Which country has the most satellites?
United States, with 12,526 active satellites, as the catalogue records owners.
How many satellites were launched recently?
160 of today's active satellites were launched in the 30 days before 5 October 2026.
Do you count space debris and rocket bodies?
No. This page counts active satellites only.
Sources
- CelesTrak current GP data (the active list). Where the orbital element sets come from
- CelesTrak SATCAT format. Owner, launch date, status and type for each object
- CelesTrak SATCAT status codes. What Operational, Partially operational and the other statuses mean