Space Library The Satellite & Orbital Encyclopedia
Your comprehensive database of everything in orbit — 177+ pages of live trackers, upcoming launch schedule, visibility guides,
real-time statistics, debris event archives, satellite profiles, country fleet data, space agency profiles, satellite internet comparisons, spaceports, space weather guides, launch vehicle profiles, spacecraft, space missions, space policy and the orbital glossary.
Last updated: · Sources: Space-Track, CelesTrak, UCS, ESA DISCOS
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44,870
Catalogued Objects
14,200
Active Satellites
9,850
Starlink Active
15,800+ t
Mass in Orbit
Powered by Orbital Radar · Live Data — Sources: Space-Track, CelesTrak
Real-time satellite tracking powered by TLE data from Space-Track and CelesTrak. Follow the ISS, Starlink trains, space telescopes, navigation constellations, and debris objects as they orbit Earth. Each tracker shows live position, altitude, speed and orbital path — updated every second using SGP4 propagation.
Latest space industry headlines aggregated from leading sources — launches, missions, policy, debris events and commercial space. Updated automatically throughout the day. See also: upcoming launch schedule.
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Launch Schedule
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Upcoming orbital launches from SpaceX, Rocket Lab, ULA, Arianespace, ISRO and others — auto-updated from Launch Library 2. Countdown timers, mission details, launch providers and pad locations for every mission in the next 30 days.
Everything you need to see satellites with your own eyes. Timing tips, camera settings, brightness rankings and the answer to "what is that moving light in the sky?" Most satellites are visible within 1–2 hours after sunset or before sunrise, when the sky is dark but objects in orbit are still lit by the Sun.
Mega-constellations are rewriting the rules of global internet access. Detailed comparisons of Starlink, Amazon Kuiper, OneWeb, and China's Guowang/Qianfan — covering speed, latency, coverage, pricing and satellite counts as of 2026. Starlink leads with roughly 9,850 active satellites delivering 25–220 Mbps to users in 70+ countries.
Profiles of the rockets and spacecraft that define modern spaceflight — payload capacity, flight history, reusability, crew capability and key specifications as of 2026. From record-setting workhorses to next-generation super heavy-lift vehicles and crewed capsules. SpaceX's Falcon 9 alone has completed over 400 missions, while Starship is the largest and most powerful rocket ever built.
The crewed vehicles that carry astronauts to the ISS, the Moon and beyond — including commercial crew capsules like SpaceX Dragon and NASA's deep-space Orion.
Every major launch facility on Earth — from the historic pads at Cape Canaveral and Baikonur to the newest vertical launch complexes in Shetland and Arctic Sweden. Location, coordinates, orbital access, active pads, operators and launch history.
Detailed case studies of the most significant fragmentation and debris events in spaceflight history — from the 2007 Fengyun-1C ASAT test to the 2024 Resurs-P1 break-up. Each page includes key facts, fragment counts, orbital persistence data and FAQs. Together, these events produced over 10,000 trackable debris fragments still orbiting Earth.
In-depth profiles of the most significant individual satellites and programmes — including the ISS, Hubble, James Webb Space Telescope and more. Orbital parameters, key facts, operational status as of 2026, and links to live tracking data.
Profiles of the major spacefaring nations and commercial satellite operators — fleet sizes, key constellations, launch capabilities, and strategic programmes as of 2026. From the United States and China to commercial giants like SpaceX and Planet Labs.
Profiles of the world's major space agencies — budgets, fleet sizes, key programmes, crewed capabilities, launch infrastructure and strategic priorities as of 2026. From NASA's Artemis programme to ISRO's cost-effective interplanetary missions.
The people and missions of crewed spaceflight — from the complete astronaut directory to every ISS expedition crew since permanent habitation began in 2000. Records, milestones and the growth of commercial crew programmes.
How big is the space industry? Market sizes, growth projections, investment flows, government budgets and revenue data for the global space economy — from satellite manufacturing and launch services to debris removal and commercial broadband. The global space economy reached an estimated $626 billion in 2025 and is projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2034.
Clear definitions of the key terms used in satellite tracking and orbital mechanics — from TLE and NORAD ID to conjunction assessment and COLA manoeuvres. Each term is explained in plain language with context for how it applies to real-world tracking and space operations.
As of early 2026, approximately 14,200 active satellites orbit Earth, out of roughly 44,870 total catalogued objects tracked by space surveillance networks. The vast majority of active satellites are in low Earth orbit (LEO), with SpaceX's Starlink constellation alone accounting for about 9,850 — roughly 65% of all active spacecraft. See our full satellite count page for live data.
Space surveillance networks catalogue about 44,870 objects larger than 10 cm. ESA statistical models estimate approximately 1.2 million objects between 1–10 cm and 140 million objects between 1–10 mm. The total mass of all human-made objects in orbit exceeds 15,800 tonnes. More than 650 fragmentation events have occurred since the start of the space age. See Space Debris Statistics for the full picture.
SpaceX's Starlink is the largest by a wide margin, with approximately 9,850 active satellites as of early 2026 (out of over 11,300 launched). The next largest constellations are Eutelsat OneWeb (648 satellites at 1,200 km) and Planet Labs (~200 Earth-imaging satellites). Amazon's Project Kuiper and China's Guowang/Qianfan are deploying but are still in early stages. See our SpaceX profile and mega-constellations explainer.
The 2007 Chinese ASAT test that destroyed the Fengyun-1C weather satellite created over 3,500 trackable fragments — the most from any single event in spaceflight history. About 2,800 fragments remain in orbit as of 2026, at altitudes where they will persist for decades to centuries. The second-worst event was the 2009 accidental collision between Cosmos-2251 and Iridium 33, which produced over 2,300 fragments. See our Fengyun-1C event page.
Yes — many satellites are visible to the naked eye shortly after sunset or before sunrise, when the sky is dark but satellites are still illuminated by the Sun. The ISS is the brightest and easiest to spot. Starlink "trains" are visible for a few days after launch. See our guides: How to See the ISS, How to See Starlink, and Brightest Satellites.
The United States leads overwhelmingly with over 10,000 active satellites (dominated by Starlink). China is second with 900+, followed by the United Kingdom (~760, mostly OneWeb), Russia (~200), Japan (~200), and India (~130). See our full satellites by country ranking and individual country profiles.
Solar activity — including coronal mass ejections, solar flares and high-speed solar wind — heats and expands Earth's upper atmosphere, increasing drag on LEO satellites and lowering their orbits. Geomagnetic storms can also cause satellite surface charging, radiation damage to electronics, and GPS signal degradation. In February 2022, a geomagnetic storm destroyed 40 newly launched Starlink satellites by increasing atmospheric drag beyond recovery. See our solar storms and satellites guide for the full picture.
By total flights, Russia's Soyuz rocket family holds the all-time record with over 2,000 launches since 1966. For active rockets as of 2026, SpaceX's Falcon 9 leads by a wide margin with over 400 missions, performing the vast majority of global orbital launches. The Falcon 9 first stage has been recovered and reused over 300 times. See our Falcon 9 and Soyuz profiles for more.
Our launch schedule page shows upcoming launches from SpaceX, Rocket Lab, ULA, Arianespace, ISRO and other providers, auto-updated from Launch Library 2. With SpaceX alone launching roughly every 2–3 days, there is almost always a mission within the next 72 hours. The schedule includes live countdown timers, mission details, pad locations and webcast links.
Starlink typically delivers download speeds of 25–220 Mbps and upload speeds of 5–25 Mbps, with latency around 25–60 ms in most areas. Performance varies by region, congestion and plan tier. Competitors like Amazon's Project Kuiper (deploying 2025–2026) and OneWeb aim to offer comparable broadband. See our Starlink review and Starlink vs Kuiper comparison.
The largest space agencies by budget and capability are NASA (United States), ESA (22 European member states), CNSA (China), Roscosmos (Russia), ISRO (India) and JAXA (Japan). Other significant agencies include CNES (France), DLR (Germany), UKSA (United Kingdom) and KARI (South Korea). Together they operate thousands of satellites, multiple crewed programmes, and deep-space missions. See our space agency profiles for individual pages on each.
Rockets launch from specialised spaceports around the world. The busiest include Kennedy Space Center / Cape Canaveral (Florida), Vandenberg SFB (California), Baikonur Cosmodrome (Kazakhstan), Guiana Space Centre (French Guiana), Jiuquan and Wenchang (China), and Satish Dhawan Space Centre (India). SpaceX launches Starship from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas. Newer sites include SaxaVord (Shetland, UK) and Esrange (Sweden). A site's latitude determines which orbits it can reach efficiently. See our 12 spaceport profiles for maps, specs and launch histories.
There is no single world space authority. The 1967 Outer Space Treaty establishes foundational principles, and the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) coordinates international norms. In practice, each nation regulates its own operators — the FCC and FAA in the United States, CNES in France, Ofcom and the UK Space Agency in Britain, and so on. The ITU coordinates radio frequencies and orbital slots globally. See our guides on who regulates space and the Outer Space Treaty.
A satellite is any object that orbits another body in space. In everyday usage it refers to human-made spacecraft placed in orbit around Earth for communications, navigation, weather monitoring, Earth observation, scientific research or military surveillance. Satellites range from CubeSats smaller than a shoebox to the International Space Station, which spans 109 metres. As of 2026, over 14,200 active satellites orbit Earth. See our What Is a Satellite? guide for the full picture.
The International Space Station travels at approximately 28,000 km/h (17,500 mph), completing one full orbit of Earth every 90 minutes. At that speed, the crew sees 16 sunrises and sunsets every day. The ISS orbits at roughly 400–420 km (250–260 miles) above the surface. See our live ISS tracker to follow it in real time.
Starlink is a satellite internet constellation built and operated by SpaceX. It consists of approximately 9,850 active satellites in low Earth orbit as of early 2026 — by far the largest constellation ever deployed, accounting for roughly 65% of all active spacecraft. Starlink provides broadband internet to users in 70+ countries with typical speeds of 25–220 Mbps and latency of 25–60 ms. See our Starlink review and live Starlink tracker.
The number of people in space varies as crews rotate between the International Space Station and China's Tiangong space station. Typically 6–10 crew members are aboard the ISS and 3–6 aboard Tiangong at any given time, plus occasional commercial or tourism missions. Over 680 people from 45+ countries have been to space since Yuri Gagarin's first flight in 1961. See our astronaut directory for the complete list.
When satellites reach end of life, operators are expected to either deorbit them (lowering the orbit so they burn up in the atmosphere) or move them to a graveyard orbit above the operational belt. Satellites below about 600 km will naturally re-enter within 25 years due to atmospheric drag. The FCC now requires US-licensed satellites to deorbit within 5 years of end of mission. Satellites that fail before disposal become space debris. See our guides on orbital decay, graveyard orbits and re-entry.
Kessler Syndrome is a theoretical scenario in which the density of objects in low Earth orbit becomes high enough that collisions generate debris faster than it can deorbit, triggering a cascade that could render certain altitudes unusable. The concept was proposed by NASA scientist Donald Kessler in 1978. With over 44,000 tracked objects and millions of smaller fragments already in orbit, collision risk management is a growing priority. See our Kessler Syndrome explainer for the full analysis.
The ISS orbits at approximately 400–420 km (250–260 miles) above Earth's surface, in the upper region of low Earth orbit. Its altitude gradually decreases over time due to atmospheric drag, and the station is periodically reboosted using thrusters on visiting spacecraft. At this altitude, it completes one orbit every 90 minutes at roughly 28,000 km/h. See our ISS profile and live tracker.
The global space economy reached an estimated $626 billion in 2025 and is projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2034. Satellite services (communications, navigation, Earth observation) account for the largest segment. Launch services, ground equipment, government budgets and emerging sectors like debris removal all contribute. See our full space economy breakdown for market data, investment flows and growth projections.
Launch costs vary enormously depending on the rocket and orbit. SpaceX's Falcon 9 charges roughly $2,700 per kilogram to low Earth orbit — down from over $54,000/kg on the Space Shuttle. Rideshare missions on small launchers like Electron cost around $7,000–10,000/kg. Starship aims to reduce costs below $100/kg at full reusability. See our launch cost trends page for the full history.
The Kp index is a 0–9 scale measuring global geomagnetic activity caused by solar wind and coronal mass ejections. A Kp of 0–1 is quiet, 4 is moderate, and 7+ is a severe geomagnetic storm that can affect satellites, GPS accuracy and power grids while producing visible auroras at lower latitudes. See our Kp Index Explained guide for what each level means.
Active debris removal (ADR) refers to missions designed to physically capture and deorbit defunct satellites or large debris objects. JAXA's ADRAS-J and ESA's ClearSpace-1 are the first funded missions to demonstrate in-orbit capture. The emerging ADR market could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars annually as space agencies mandate cleanup of legacy debris. See our ADR guide and debris removal market analysis.
There are roughly 30 active orbital launch sites worldwide, with more under development. The busiest include Cape Canaveral/KSC (Florida), Vandenberg (California), Baikonur (Kazakhstan), Kourou (French Guiana), and Jiuquan/Wenchang (China). New sites in the UK (SaxaVord), Sweden (Esrange) and several US states are expanding global launch access. See our 12 spaceport profiles for maps, coordinates and launch histories.
Over 680 people from 45+ countries have travelled to space since Yuri Gagarin's first flight on 12 April 1961. The number is growing rapidly with commercial crew missions from SpaceX and Blue Origin. Typically 10–15 people are in orbit at any given time across the ISS and China's Tiangong station. See our astronaut directory for the complete list.
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is the most powerful space telescope ever built, launched in December 2021. It orbits the Sun at the L2 Lagrange point, 1.5 million km from Earth, with a 6.5-metre gold-coated mirror that observes in infrared. JWST has already transformed our understanding of exoplanets, early galaxies and star formation. See our JWST profile for key specs and discoveries.
Yes — dozens of nations operate military and intelligence satellites for imaging, signals intelligence (SIGINT), missile warning, secure communications and navigation. The United States, Russia, China, India, France and the UK all have significant military space programmes. Military satellites are typically classified and tracked by space surveillance networks but not catalogued publicly. See our military satellites guide.
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty is the foundational international agreement governing activities in space. It prohibits placing nuclear weapons in orbit, bans national sovereignty claims over celestial bodies, and makes states liable for damage caused by their space objects. Over 110 countries are parties to the treaty. See our Outer Space Treaty explainer for the full breakdown.
LEO (Low Earth Orbit) is roughly 160–2,000 km altitude — home to the ISS, Starlink and most Earth observation satellites. MEO (Medium Earth Orbit) spans 2,000–35,786 km and hosts navigation constellations like GPS and Galileo. GEO (Geostationary Orbit) is a circular orbit at exactly 35,786 km where satellites match Earth's rotation and appear stationary — ideal for weather and communications. See our Types of Orbits guide and glossary.
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