The number of satellites orbiting the Earth is taking off. A record 180 rockets launched into orbit last year, many with several satellites on board, taking the total number of satellites in space to 8,261 by the end of 2022. While governments have traditionally launched most of these satellites, there is now an increasing trend of private companies, such as Elon Musk’s SpaceX, launching satellites into orbit. In 2021, private-sector funding in space-related companies topped $10 billion dollars, an all-time high and a tenfold increase over the past decade.
What do satellites do?
Satellites have become an integral part of our lives, providing communication services, GPS services, weather monitoring, and more. Of the 4,852 active artificial satellites orbiting the Earth, 2,944 belong to the US, but there are increasingly more satellites being launched by private companies. For instance, 61 of the 180 launches last year were carried out by SpaceX.
The majority of satellites are used for communication services, with 3,135 active communication satellites in 2022. There are also 1,030 satellites used for earth observation, 385 for technology development/demonstration, 154 for navigation/positioning, 22 for earth science, and 18 for other purposes.
More satellites are about to be launched
Since its first launch in 2019, SpaceX has launched more than 3,000 Starlink satellites into orbit, and the Federal Communications Commission approved SpaceX’s request to send 7,500 more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit this year. Some estimates predict that by 2030, there will be another 58,000 satellites launched.
While this increase in satellite launches is exciting, it also presents risks, such as the potential for collisions and the creation of space debris. There are already more than 4,500 large objects weighing 100 kg or more in low Earth orbit, and the rapid increase in the number of satellites adds to concerns about the risk of collisions. A phenomenon known as the Kessler syndrome suggests that if space traffic continues to grow and more collisions occur, the extra debris could fly into the paths of other satellites, causing cascading collisions that could disrupt satellites and space flights.
What has contributed to the increase in satellites?
The rise of the commercial space industry is making space launches more accessible and affordable. The cost of launching a single satellite into space has decreased by about 95% and satellites themselves are also getting cheaper. This trend is opening up new possibilities for the space industry, with potential benefits such as improved global connectivity, better weather monitoring, and enhanced space research.
The trend of private companies launching more satellites into orbit is rapidly changing the space industry, presenting both opportunities and challenges. SpaceX, Amazon’s Project Kuiper, OneWeb and Virgin Orbit are all launching communications satellites to improve our connectivity on earth. While there is a risk of collisions and space debris, the affordability of space launches and the potential benefits of more satellites in orbit are making it an exciting time for the space industry. In fact analysts are so optimistic about space that some believe it will become a $1 trillion dollar industry.
If you want to learn more about what the growing number of satellites are doing, check out our recent episode of The Dive!