Satellites have become a vital part of our daily lives, quietly orbiting Earth to enable technologies from weather forecasting to global communications. But while these modern marvels work tirelessly above us, they don’t last forever. Eventually, every satellite reaches the end of its life — and that often involves a fiery dive back through Earth’s atmosphere.
But how often do satellites fall back to Earth, and what happens when they do?
The Rise of the Satellite Era
The satellite era began with a historic beep on October 4, 1957, when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the world’s first artificial satellite. Since then, humanity has sent thousands of satellites into space.
As of 2024, there are roughly 10,000 active satellites (more than 6,600 of which are SpaceX Starlink satellites) circling our planet, with thousands more defunct ones up there, too. These satellites perform a wide array of functions, including communication, scientific research, weather monitoring, and military surveillance.
