When Sputnik 1, the first satellite, was launched by the Russians in 1957, low Earth orbit was a lonely place. Today, just six decades later, the space around Earth looks far different. Thousands of satellites whiz around our planet at varying altitudes at speeds approaching 20,000 miles per hour. Of the more than 11,000 satellites that have ever been launched, there are roughly 3,000 currently active, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists’ Satellite Database.
That number could pale in comparison to the satellite population by the end of the decade, though. Some estimates show that more than 100,000 satellites could orbit our planet by 2030, an exponential increase that has many scientists worried.
The steep rise in satellite numbers will likely come largely from so-called satellite constellations, groups of dozens or even hundreds of small satellites united in a common task. The most well-known of these is likely SpaceX’s Starlink constellation, which delivers internet access to remote places. The company has over 1,500 satellites currently in orbit, and founder Elon Musk plans for tens of thousands one day.
