- Who
- Starlink, SpaceX
- What
- 2,146 total number
- Where
- Not Applicable ()
- When
The largest satellite constellation is Starlink, operated by SpaceX (USA). As of 29 April 2022, there are 2,146 active Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit, 2,116 of which are part of the operational constellation. Starlink is a satellite internet service, designed to offer faster connections with more wide ranging coverage than its rivals.
Each Starlink satellite has a mass of around 295 kg (650 lb; 260 kg for the version-1 models) with a single rectangular solar panel and hall-effect thrusters for orbital station keeping. The plan is for the final Starlink constellation to have around 12,000 satellites orbiting between 540 and 570 km above the Earth.
The Starlink constellation, which dwarfs any previous satellite network, has been criticised by many observers. Spacefaring nations other than the USA have raised concerns about the risk of orbital collisions as a result of the increased traffic, and astronomers worldwide have complained about the impact they will have on astronomy.
