And, usually, falling space junk lands in the water, which covers about 71% of Earth's surface. "Satellites play a major role in our supply chain, financial transactions, weather monitoring, climate science, global communications and search and rescue.". The constellation requires a minimum of 24 operational satellites, and the typical number active is 31. The total number of satellites around Earth will keep increasing as SpaceX and other companies and entities continually launch satellites into orbit. There are 31 GPS sats in total; GPS III SV-5 will replace one of the early models. Clicking the button won't solve the climate crisis. The satellites orbiting Earth serve many purposes. We welcome corrections, additions, and suggestions. . QZSS complements GPS to improve coverage in East Asia and Oceania. We use cookies to improve your experience. The space industry has a much lower carbon footprint than other industries, such as the aviation industry. In, JSR. A GPS receiver needs four satellites to work out its position in three dimensions.[1]. As satellites eventually fall out of orbit and reenter Earth's atmosphere, they also release chemicals into the atmosphere, Boley said. In June 2011, the Air Force successfully completed a GPS constellation expansion known as the "Expandable 24" configuration. This increased activity is happening now largely because of dropping costs, said Aaron Boley, an astronomer at The University of British Columbia. Heres how to solve it, Here's how satellites have changed the modern world. Number of U.S. military and civil satellites launched from 1980 to 2008; Brazil: number of authorized satellites 1999-2022; Number of commercial small satellites launched worldwide by operator . You need a Statista Account for unlimited access. "We are deeply connected to satellites," Boley said. Currently, GPS has a 33 satellite constellation, out of which 31 are in orbit and operational. The top ten operators of the greatest number of satellites are: Looking at the operators in detail, it reinforces the fact that the current driver of growth is the space-based broadband sector. Create a free account and access your personalized content collection with our latest publications and analyses. How many satellites are in space? Mar 4, 2022 7:00 AM. The satellites in the GPS constellation are arranged into six equally-spaced orbital planes surrounding the Earth. There are four types of orbits around Earth where you will find satellites in: low Earth orbit (LEO), medium Earth orbit (MEO), highly elliptical orbit (HEO), and. This was 40 kilometers of traffic caused by Russian . Business Solutions including all features. These operators are expected to continue to launch satellites to enhance their constellations and new players will also come into the market, meaning that the increase in satellite numbers highlighted at the start of the blog will likely continue to rise. Who owns the most satellites orbiting Earth? For more details, review our .chakra .wef-12jlgmc{-webkit-transition:all 0.15s ease-out;transition:all 0.15s ease-out;cursor:pointer;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;outline:none;color:inherit;font-weight:700;}.chakra .wef-12jlgmc:hover,.chakra .wef-12jlgmc[data-hover]{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.chakra .wef-12jlgmc:focus,.chakra .wef-12jlgmc[data-focus]{box-shadow:0 0 0 3px rgba(168,203,251,0.5);}privacy policy. The constellation requires a minimum of 24 operational satellites, and allows for up to 32; typically, 31 are operational at any one time. GPS reached full operational capability in April 1995. Most of these communications satellites can be found in geostationary orbit. The orbital speed at a 6 hour orbit is about 5 km/s. Could a spaceship fly through a gas giant like Jupiter? Please do not hesitate to contact me. 3D globe. Show publisher information "This is such a fundamental change to our view of the sky that it requires greater scrutiny," co-author Hanno Rein, an astronomer at the University of Toronto Scarborough, said in a statement (opens in new tab). Satellites have many uses for the government, military, and even civilians. First satellite to complete initial operational 24-satellite constellation. The 30 countries with the most satellites orbiting Earth. This page was last modified on October 19, 2021. Learn more about how Statista can support your business. As we mentioned things move quickly in the space industry, and there is a difference of a month between the UNOOSA and UCS figures, and for the next section, well be using the end of December figures from UCS. How many satellites are in orbit around Earth? Harry is a U.K.-based staff writer at Live Science. Last year saw a record number of objects launched into space, with 1 807 leaving the planet in 2021; a 41.84% increase compared to 2020. There are thousands of satellites in the sky above us at this moment, orbiting Earth. SpaceX currently owns 1/3 of the satellites in orbit around Earth. In navigation: Satellites as navigation aids. The US food system should be providing healthy, sustainable food for everyone. "Number of Satellites in Orbit by Major Country as of April 30, 2022. Just one project, SpaceX's ambitious Starlink , aims to fly 12,000 small satellites by 2027. However, all these new satellites come with a host of new issues, as highlighted by a May 2021 study into megaconstellations co-led by Boley and published in the journal Scientific Reports (opens in new tab). Then you can access your favorite statistics via the star in the header. Number of active satellites from 1957 to 2022 [Graph]. Boley's study into megaconstellations revealed that, in the future, satellite reentries could end up depositing more of certain elements, such as aluminum, into Earth's atmosphere than meteorites do. To give context to this, during 2020 and 2021 there were 3 081 objects launched into space, which accounts for approximately 25% of the objects ever launched. Satellites in GSO and GEO have orbital speeds that match Earths rotation; GEO objects orbit the equator, which gives them the appearance of being in a fixed position. Looking at who operates the greatest number of satellites gives a clear insight into the growth in numbers. Required fields are marked *, (function( timeout ) { New York, The database is updated three times a year. According to the Index of Objects Launched into Outer Space, maintained by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), there were 8 261 individual satellites orbiting the Earth at the end of January; an increase of 11.84% compared to April 2021.. Last year saw a record number of objects launched into space, with 1 807 leaving the planet in 2021; a 41.84% increase compared to 2020. Each satellite circles the Earth twice a day. GPS is operated and maintained by the U.S. Space Force. "The Kessler effect will not have a clear moment that it turns on," Boley said. ", Union of Concerned Scientists, Number of satellites in orbit by major country as of April 30, 2022 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/264472/number-of-satellites-in-orbit-by-operating-country/ (last visited May 02, 2023), Number of satellites in orbit by major country as of April 30, 2022 [Graph], Union of Concerned Scientists, May 1, 2022. Satellites above your horizon. By continuing, you accept our use of cookies. Get full access to all features within our Business Solutions. setTimeout( Website host: NOAA. var notice = document.getElementById("cptch_time_limit_notice_80"); The Space Force normally flies more than 24 GPS satellites to maintain coverage whenever the baseline satellites are serviced or decommissioned. As a Premium user you get access to the detailed source references and background information about this statistic. if ( notice ) The database is updated three times a year. Statista. There are already at least 128 million pieces of debris in LEO. The outstanding performance of GPS over many years has earned the confidence of millions of civil users . Already a database user? As a result, GPS now effectively operates as a 27-slot constellation with improved coverage in most parts of the world. In October 2021, Rwanda also announced its own megaconstellation, named Cinnamon, which could contain over 320,000 satellites. The Power Grid Is a Top Climate Solution. . What does the edge of the solar system look like? In total, there were around . The extra satellites may increase GPS performance but are not considered part of the core constellation. Therefore, we need to find a way to balance out the benefits and impacts, Boley said. As a Premium user you get access to background information and details about the release of this statistic. Most satellite internet services come from single geostationary satellites that orbit the planet at 35,786 km. In total, there were around 7,500 satellites in LEO as of September 2021, according to the United Nations' Outer Space Objects Index (opens in new tab). 4 Block III satellites have completed construction and have been declared "Available For Launch" (AFL). And once all of these satellites are spaceborne, what types of problems might they cause? The study also found that places near 50 degrees north and south latitude, like British Columbia and Patagonia, could be more severely impacted by satellite light pollution than other locations, due to the orbits of proposed satellites. Dr Samantha (Sam) Lavender, Managing Director, Andrew Lavender, Corporate Services Director, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. When Galileo, Europe's own global satellite navigation system, is fully operational, there will be 24 satellites plus spares in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) at an altitude of 23 222 kilometres. With a plan to send about 1,000 Starlink satellites into space every year, they will continue their domination. Three additional satellites, including one not assigned a PRN, are designated as on-orbit spares. Related: How do tiny pieces of space junk cause incredible damage? But the GPS satellites sending these vehicles' positions to Google were not picking up an ordinary traffic jam. . ", In the future, Boley said, as many as 1 in every 10 "stars" in the sky could actually be satellites, which would "continuously cause the heavens to be rearranged.". Tell Congress: support international climate finance. For too long, Tyson Foods has gotten away with putting farmers out of business, exploiting workers, poisoning our water and land, and gouging consumers. Total Number of Satellites Launched. GPS satellites are potential targets for jamming, but . "Number of satellites in orbit by major country as of April 30, 2022." 2 Brattle Square, Cambridge MA 02138, USA. At GPS, it is 3.8 km/s. The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a constellation of about 24 artificial satellites. But what we want to know is, who owns our orbit? As of Sept. 1, 2021, SpaceX is leading the race, with their Starlink satellite program planning to send more than a thousand new satellites into orbit every year. Human-made satellites were once rare in low Earth orbit (LEO), with just a handful of them rotating around the planet at the dawn of the Space Age in the 1950s. Through our analysis, we found that 75 different countries have at least one satellite orbiting Earth. To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set As of Sept. 16 . Set usable with PRN32 on 26 February 2008. Of these, there are 302 satellites (6.22%) listed as having multiple users. Moreover, as satellites reenter the atmosphere, they can also cause significant damage on the ground. is a global GNSS owned and operated by the Russian Federation. Planetarium view. Learn more about GPSIII from the prime contractor (lockheedmartin.com), Contact us / Tell us what you think of this website, Coarse Acquisition (C/A) code on L1 frequency for civil users, Precise P(Y) code on L1 & L2 frequencies for military users, New military Mcode signals for enhanced jam resistance, Flexible power levels for military signals, Improved accuracy, signal strength, and quality, Enhanced signal reliability, accuracy, and integrity, IIIF: laser reflectors; search & rescue payload. SUBJ: SVN44 (PRN28) DECOMMISSIONING, "2 SOPS disposes last GPS IIA satellite after 26 years", "Notice Advisory To NAVSTAR Users (NANU) 2016008", "Two GPS navigation birds retired after two decades in space", "Farewell to a Great Generation: GPS IIA", "Two GPS navigation birds retired after two decades in space Spaceflight Now", "2nd Space Operations Squadron decommissions 22-year-old satellite", "GPS constellation changes with addition of second GPS III satellite", "SpaceX closes out year with successful GPS satellite launch", "Space Force announces new nicknames for GPS satellites", https://www.losangeles.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2082387/gps-iii-space-vehicle-03-safely-arrives-in-florida/, "Fifth GPS III Satellite Takes to the Skies", "Air Force Awards Launch Services Contracts to SpaceX and ULA", "Five launches planned from Florida's Space Coast in June Spaceflight Now", "SSC ordered 8 National Security Space Launch missions from our industry partners ULA & SpaceX for launch in 2024 for #SpaceForce", "Military Communications & Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Overview & GPS Enterprise Update", "Air Force Awards Lockheed Martin Contracts for Next Set of GPS III Satellites", "GPS Enterprise Status and Modernization", "Department of Defense Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Budget Estimates", "GPS III SV08 Core Mate Complete, Space Vehicle Named for NASA Trailblazer", "GPS III Space Vehicle 09 declared "Available for Launch", "SMC exercises contract options to procure two additional GPS III satellites", "Directions 2023: Advancing GPS to Meet the Future", "SpaceX launches GPS satellite to provide PNT services", "Directions 2022: GPS positioned for the future", "Sixth GPS III Satellite Built By Lockheed Martin Launches As Part Of Constellation Modernization", "GAO-21-222 Weapon Systems Annual Assessment", "Global Positioning System Ill Follow-On Production (GPS IIIF)", "Department of Defense Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Budget Estimates", "Department of Defense Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Budget Estimates", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_GPS_satellites&oldid=1148270731, Articles with dead external links from March 2020, Articles with permanently dead external links, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles containing potentially dated statements from February 2023, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Articles with dead external links from February 2023, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. Three of the 24 slots were expanded, and six satellites were repositioned, so that three of the extra satellites became part of the constellation baseline. Search overhead passes. Statista. For the desktop version of this page, rotate your device to landscape. This is where SpaceX Starlink satellites can be found, as well as the Internal Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope. function() { Despite the concerns, only three confirmed orbital collisions have happened so far. For example, SVN 049 had been assigned PRNs 01, 24, 27, and 30 at different times of its lifespan, whereas PRN 01 had been assigned to SVNs 032, 037, 049, 035, and 063 at different epochs. 2022; 2021; 2020; 2019 & earlier; Exhibits. (January 17, 2023). Show sources information PRN SVN Satellite Launch Date (UTC) Orbit (*1) Positioning Signals Clock(*2) 719: GLONASS-M (2432) 2007/10/26: MEO: G1C, G2C: CS 720: GLONASS-M (2433) 2007/10/26 Decommissioned from active service using PRN23 on 13 February 2004. Maps is provide Flyover and 3D maps's map service to replace the Google Maps application on iOS devices. 3,000 dead While there are about 2,000 active satellites orbiting Earth at the moment, there are also 3,000 dead ones littering space. An artist's impression of what the Kessler syndrome could look like. timeout Recurring messages. They provide us with the ability to have things like Internet access, television, GPS, and much more. . A paid subscription is required for full access. More than half of Earth's satellites are meant for communications, including things like television, telephones, radio, Internet, and military applications. GNSS can also refer to augmentation systems, but there are too many international augmentations to list here. Mission Extension Vehicle Vivisat, a 50/50 joint venture of US Space and ATK, specializes in providing in-orbit satellite life extension and protection services. This slower speed allows for a narrower bandwidth (since the Doppler frequency shifts are smaller), using less spectrum and allowing more channels to be in use. published 6 December 2022. . The GPS satellites circle the Earth at an altitude of about 20,000 km (13,000 miles) and complete two full orbits every day. there are total 27 satellites in orbit and all are operational. In-depth details on the 5,465 satellites currently orbiting Earth, including their country of origin, purpose, and other operational details. Values are estimates as the turnoff dates for some satellites is not certain. "It causes a space traffic management problem, it will exacerbate the proliferation of space debris, it is interfering with astronomy and stargazing, and the rocket launches and reentries cause atmospheric pollution," Boley said. The highly elliptical orbit (HEO) has 56 satellites that are used for communications, satellite radio, remote sensing, and other applications. ET on Jan 6, 2022, to clarify a fact about the number of satellites in LEO. Accessed May 02, 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/897719/number-of-active-satellites-by-year/, JSR. (May 1, 2022). Further satellites are instead sent even farther away from Earth. Earth has 4,550 satellites in orbit, as of Sept. 1, 2021. They plan to . Switched to PRN01 in October 2008 but was unusable. A study (opens in new tab) on light pollution co-written by Boley, posted to the arXiv database in September 2021 and submitted to The Astronomical Journal revealed that as much as 8% of the light in the night sky could come from satellites in the future. The energy choices we make today could make or break our ability to fight climate change. Of the countries launching satellites, the United States takes the top slot. The NUDET Detection System (NDS) was declared operational in July 1995. It is hoped that the UK will be added to this list with the next blog update. The EU declared the start of Galileo Initial Services in 2016 and plans to complete the system of 24+ satellites in 2021. Three of the 24 slots were expanded, and six satellites were repositioned, so that three of the extra satellites became part of the constellation baseline. The satellites will be spread evenly around each plane and will take about 14 hours to orbit the . Please reload CAPTCHA. There are also space-based launches from the international space station. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. As of January 2022, there are 8,261 satellites in orbit around the Earth. This orbit differs from the others because it has an oblong shape and one end is much closer to Earth than the other. Each plane contains four "slots" occupied by baseline satellites. As a Premium user you get access to background information and details about the release of this statistic. [106], Declared "Available for Launch" on 23 Aug 2022. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Chart. IRNSS is an autonomous system designed to cover the Indian region and 1500 km around the Indian mainland. But now, there are thousands of satellites swarming around Earth, with even more waiting to join them.