The GPS satellites are not in a geostationary orbit, but rise and set two times per day. Use Ask Statista Research Service. Each satellite circles the Earth twice a day. ", 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. Numbers in parentheses refer to non-operational satellites. Website host: NOAA. In, JSR. published 6 December 2022. . But it'll help. But some evidence already suggests that active debris removal from LEO is needed to avoid the Kessler syndrome from taking hold, he added. Chart. The constellation requires a minimum of 24 operational satellites, and allows for up to 32; typically, 31 are operational at any one time. 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. 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. NY 10036. . Accessed May 02, 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/264472/number-of-satellites-in-orbit-by-operating-country/, Union of Concerned Scientists. Learn more Earth has 4,550 satellites in orbit, as of Sept. 1, 2021. by Dominic Ford. "Number of active satellites from 1957 to 2022." NOTICE ADVISORY TO NAVSTAR USERS (NANU) 2021035 As of 26February2023[update], 31 of 32 PRNs are in use; PRNs 22 is unavailable. The United States is committed to maintaining the availability of at least 24 operational GPS satellites, 95% of the time. During normal operations, certain signals may be set to "Unhealthy" to accommodate updates or testing. JSR. There are other reasons as well, involving the accuracy of the GPS. SpaceX currently owns 1/3 of the satellites in orbit around Earth. As of 26February2023[update], 83 Global Positioning System navigation satellites have been built: 31 are launched and operational, 3 are unhealthy or in reserve, 42 are retired, 2 were lost during launch, and 1 prototype was never launched. Of these, there are 302 satellites (6.22%) listed as having multiple users. if ( notice ) "We're still trying to understand the extent of the impacts.". Set usable with PRN32 on 26 February 2008. What are the humanitarian costs of the use of tactical nuclear weapons? 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The constellation requires a minimum of 24 operational satellites, and the typical number active is 31. A paid subscription is required for full access. This orbit differs from the others because it has an oblong shape and one end is much closer to Earth than the other. Recurring messages. Why are there so many SpaceX satellites in orbit? Why do the planets in the solar system orbit on the same plane? Permanently retired satellites are sent to a higher, less congested disposal orbit where their fuel is vented, batteries are intentionally depleted and communication is switched off.[2]. SpaceX now offers to transport other companies satellites to orbit on their rockets for the price of $1 million, which has opened up opportunities for even more commercial satellites to be launched into our orbit. The 10 owners of the most satellites orbiting Earth. The metal objects will act like mirrors, reflecting light back toward the Earth's surface, and the sheer number of them will drastically alter our view of the night sky. As of April 2022, there were 5,465 operational satellites in Earth orbit, of which 3,433 belong to the United States (2,992 commercial), 541 belong to China, 172 belong to Russia, and 1,319 belong to other nations. As of Sept. 16 . is a global GNSS owned and operated by the Russian Federation. The 30 countries with the most satellites orbiting Earth. Scientists are unsure what the potential impacts of this could be, but human-caused changes to the atmospheres' chemistry, such as the release of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) from aerosols that caused the hole in the ozone layer, do not tend to end well. nine How does a glass mercury thermometer work. To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set As a Premium user you get access to background information and details about the release of this statistic. What's more, there are around 34,000 pieces of space junk bigger than 10 centimetres in size and millions of smaller pieces that could nonetheless prove disastrous if they hit something else. As more satellites are launched into orbit in the coming decades, the number of collisions and subsequent space debris are likely to soar. Union of Concerned Scientists. BeiDou, or BDS, is a global GNSS owned and operated by the People's Republic of China. As of January 1, 2022, there were a total of 29 operational satellites in the GPS constellation, not including the decommissioned, on-orbit spares. When was the oldest working satellite launched? The GPS space segment consists of a constellation of satellites transmitting radio signals to users. Remember that alongside all of the amazing stars there are thousands of active, and inactive, satellites orbiting the planet and this number is increasing rapidly. But there's more. In total, there were around 7,500 satellites in LEO as of September 2021, according to the United Nations' Outer Space Objects Index. At GPS, it is 3.8 km/s. . Our intent in producing the database is to create a research tool for specialists and non-specialists alike by collecting open-source information on operational satellites and presenting it in a format that can be easily manipulated for research and analysis. The Space Force normally flies more than 24 GPS satellites to maintain coverage whenever the baseline satellites are serviced or decommissioned. Since then, that rate has skyrocketed, with more than 1,300 new satellites launched into LEO in 2020 and more than 1,400 satellites launched in 2021, Chakrabarti wrote. Union of Concerned Scientists Switched to PRN01 in October 2008 but was unusable. .chakra .wef-facbof{display:inline;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-facbof{display:block;}}You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in our emails. As of 26 June 2022, L5 was being broadcast from 17 satellites, up from 12 in . statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account. A fully digital navigation payload. The LEO satellites are the key to the success of Musk's plan to cover the entire globe and make satellite internet faster and more affordable for everyone on planet Earth. The ideal entry-level account for individual users. = 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. Get full access to all features within our Business Solutions. The U.S. Air Force sent the first GPS satellite into orbit in 1978, and many other launches followed over the years. Farmers 'crippled' by satellite failure as GPS-guided tractors grind to a halt. 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. Decommissioned from active service using PRN04 in November 2015. As of January 2022, there are 8,261 satellites in orbit around the Earth. 18 January 2022: USA-177: 20 March 2004 17:53 Delta II 7925-9.5: CCAFS, SLC-17B: IIR 11: 59 19 C5 6,979 Operational: USA-178: 23 June . These can be emailed to the database manager at [emailprotected]. You can opt-out anytime. Our solutionsare used and trusted by leading aerospace companies. Contact us / Tell us what you think of this website. . GPS is operated and maintained by the U.S. Space Force. You need a Statista Account for unlimited access. There are approximately 3,000 satellites operating in Earth orbit, according to the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA ), out of roughly 8,000 man-made objects in total. You only have access to basic statistics. This section is for the purpose of making it possible to determine the PRN associated with a SVN at a particular epoch. Space vehicle manufacturing contract awarded February 2013. How many satellites are in space? There are also over 100 objects orbiting other bodies such as the Moon, Mars, etc. "An accident in one particular orbit that generates significant space debris has the potential to affect a wide range of orbits.". Msg & data rates may apply. The following table summarizes the features of the current and future generations of GPS satellites, including BlockIIA (2nd generation, "Advanced"), BlockIIR ("Replenishment"), BlockIIR-M ("Modernized"), BlockIIF ("Follow-on"), GPSIII, and GPS IIIF ("Follow-on"). SpaceX rockets bring tens of satellites up at a time, and it even set a record at the beginning of 2021 for bringing143 satellitesinto Earths orbit on just one rocket. The operational system consists of 35 satellites. For example, SVN 049 is described as: whereas for PRN 01 the following excerpt is relevant: A table extracted out of the ANTEX file is made available by the Bernese GNSS Software. As a Premium user you get access to the detailed source references and background information about this statistic. Register in seconds and access exclusive features. A new search and rescue payload. After being launched, GPS satellites enter a period of testing before their signals are set to "Healthy". "We are deeply connected to satellites," Boley said. [112], Declared "Available for Launch" on 08 Dec 2022.[117]. Changes to the database (includes additions and deletions), Risks & Consequences of Russia's War on Ukraine. Accessed May 02, 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/897719/number-of-active-satellites-by-year/, JSR. "The safe operation of that many satellites is going to be a major challenge," Boley said. function() { Or to put it another way, almost 42% of the objects currently orbiting the Earth are simply useless hunks of metals this is around 3 500 objects! Show publisher information The extra satellites may increase GPS performance but are not considered part of the core constellation. For the desktop version of this page, rotate your device to landscape. However, modern satellites are designed to break up into smaller pieces upon reentry, so less material makes it to the surface. Many satellites use a standardized bus to save cost and work, . Eventually, the number of satellites in LEO could lead to a runaway chain of collisions that would scatter space debris around LEO, to the point where we would be unable to launch new rockets. What purpose do the satellites orbiting Earth serve? And it's not just satellite launches that pose an environmental problem. First to broadcast operational L5 signal. 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. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/264472/number-of-satellites-in-orbit-by-operating-country/, Number of satellites in orbit by major country as of April 30, 2022, Available to download in PNG, PDF, XLS format, Turnover of the global space economy 2009-2021, Revenue of the global space economy by segment 2015-2040, Government space program spending worldwide 2014-2022, Space venture investment value worldwide by type 2000-2021, Global government investment in space exploration 2013-2027, Revenue of the global satellite industry 2006-2021, Global government investment on space exploration by type 2010-2029, Turnover of European companies in the space industry 2010-2019, European Space Agency's main contributors 2022, U.S. government expenditure on space exploration 2017-2027, Number of satellites in orbit - major countries 2022, Expendable launch vehicles used in space exploration 2019, Leading aerospace and defense manufacturers in the U.S. 2021, NASA - approved budget by sector 2017-2022, Ranking of the largest U.S. NASA contractors FY 2021, Share of global satellite launches by SpaceX 2008-2020, Number of active satellites by year 1957-2022, High-throughput satellites - global market by segment 2017/2023, High-throughput satellites - global market size 2017/2023, Nano satellites - global market by application 2016/2021, 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 2011-2020, Worldwide spacecraft launches by mission type 2017, Valuable asteroids in asteroid belt average orbital speed, Earth observation satellite data and services market size by technology 2017-2023, Familiarity of International Space Station in the U.S. 2019, Familiarity of Blue Origin in the U.S. 2019, Commercial space launches - United States 1990-2021, Familiarity of planetary science in the U.S. 2019, Familiarity of space exploration in the U.S. 2019, Number of Dish Network's subscribers 2011-2020, Belief of U.S. adults about the value of the ISS to the U.S. 2018, Familiarity of United Launch Alliance in the U.S. 2019, Familiarity with Virgin Galactic by age U.S. 2019, Share of U.S. adults who thought the U.S. successfully went to the moon U.S. 2019, Aviation and aerospace industries in Germany, Find your information in our database containing over 20,000 reports, the global satellite industry almost doubled, Elon Musks company SpaceX plans to increase its number of launches. GPS.gov is maintained by the National Coordination Office for Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing. The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum. Copyright 2023 Dewesoft d.o.o. The Department of Defense is the steward of GPS. Directly accessible data for 170 industries from 50 countries and over 1 million facts: Get quick analyses with our professional research service. In June 2011, the Air Force successfully completed a GPS constellation expansion known as the "Expandable 24" configuration. The top five launch sites are: In addition to these sites there have also been launches from China, India, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, New Zealand, Algeria, Australia, Israel & Iran. Website host: NOAA. 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. Their orbital period is 12 hours. The medium Earth orbit (MEO) contains 139 satellites and is used for navigation systems, such as GPS. After being launched, GPS satellites enter a period of testing before their signals are set to "Healthy". A version is also provided in which the "Name" column contains only the official name of the satellite in the case of government and military satellites, and the most commonly used name in the case of commercial and civil satellites. 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. Elder Abuse. 4 Block III satellites have completed construction and have been declared "Available For Launch" (AFL). "Number of Satellites in Orbit by Major Country as of April 30, 2022. In navigation: Satellites as navigation aids. 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. You need at least a Starter Account to use this feature. After the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the world's first human-made satellite, in 1957, a slow but steady stream of satellites entered LEO, with between 10 and 60 launched annually until the 2010s, Supriya Chakrabarti, a professor of physics at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, wrote in an article published on Space.com, a Live Science sister site. 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. The growth will continue with 179 objects launched in January alone! Codeless/Semi-Codeless GPS Access Commitments, Civil GPS Service Interface Committee (CGSIC), Surveying, Mapping, & Geo-Sciences Subcomm. Get the latest updates on our work to make clean energy choices and how you can help right from your inbox. How many satellites does a given country have in orbit, and what are they used for? Therefore, we need to find a way to balance out the benefits and impacts, Boley said. This page was last edited on 5 April 2023, at 03:45. Today, there are 24 fully operational GPS satellites. "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). 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. Please create an employee account to be able to mark statistics as favorites. What does the edge of the solar system look like? Overall, since December 2020, the number of active satellites has increased by 43.89%. [106], Declared "Available for Launch" on 23 Aug 2022. After decommissioning, most GPS satellites become on-orbit spares and may be recommissioned if needed. While GPS is the most prevalent GNSS, other nations are fielding, or have fielded, their own systems to provide complementary, independent PNT capability. May 1, 2022. It is unclear when this project might become a reality, but the country has requested permission to begin the project, according to a tweet (opens in new tab) by the Rwanda Space Agency. . They provide us with the ability to have things like Internet access, television, GPS, and much more. First satellite to complete initial operational 24-satellite constellation. When combined with L1 C/A in a dual-frequency receiver, L2C enables ionospheric correction, a technique that boosts accuracy. Search overhead passes. Democracy and science can be powerful partners for the public goodand both are under attack. "Rather, it is a gradual transition due to an imbalance of debris generation and debris removal rates." Terms, Conditions, and Privacy Policy. In 2022, there were an estimated total of 6,905 active satellites orbiting the Earth, an increase . Also known as IIR-16; first satellite to complete the full operational 31-satellite constellation. Cape Canaveral in the United States with 3 509 launches. This statistic is not included in your account. 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. "However, slowing things down and delaying the placement of 100,000 satellites until we have better international rules would be prudent.". 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. Profit from the additional features of your individual account. The NUDET Detection System (NDS) was declared operational in July 1995. The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a constellation of about 24 artificial satellites. What activities are most satellites involved with. Of those, around 34,000 are over 4 inches (10 centimeters), according to the Natural History Museum (opens in new tab) in London, and there will be even more in the future.