Satellite constellations compared
Updated October 8, 2026
69 communications, navigation and Earth-observation constellations — who runs them, where they fly and what they are for.
| Constellation | Operator | Orbit | Status | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starlink | SpaceX (USA) | LEO | Operational | Broadband internet + Direct-to-Cell |
| OneWeb | Eutelsat (UK/EU) | LEO | Operational | Enterprise connectivity |
| Amazon Leo | Amazon (USA) | LEO | Deploying | Consumer + enterprise broadband + D2D |
| Guowang (SatNet) | China | LEO | Deploying | National broadband |
| Qianfan (G60 / Spacesail) | China | LEO | Deploying | Commercial broadband |
| Telesat Lightspeed | Canada | LEO | Deploying | Telco backhaul + defense + Arctic military satcom |
| IRIS2 | EU | LEO/MEO | Deploying | Secure gov + commercial |
| Iridium NEXT | Iridium (USA) | LEO | Operational | Voice + IoT |
| Globalstar | Globalstar (USA) | LEO | Operational | IoT + direct-to-device (Apple/Amazon) |
| Orbcomm | Orbcomm (USA) | LEO | Operational | IoT / tracking |
| AST SpaceMobile | AST (USA) | LEO | Deploying | Direct-to-phone broadband |
| Lynk Global | Lynk (USA) | LEO | Operational | Direct-to-phone messaging + voice |
| O3b / mPOWER | SES (Lux) | MEO | Operational | High-throughput backhaul |
| GPS | USA | MEO | Operational | Global positioning |
| Galileo | EU | MEO | Operational | Positioning |
| GLONASS | Russia | MEO | Operational | Positioning |
| BeiDou | China | MEO/GEO/IGSO | Operational | Positioning |
| NavIC (IRNSS) | India (ISRO) | GEO/GSO | Operational | Regional positioning |
| QZSS (Michibiki) | Japan | GSO/GEO | Operational | Regional positioning |
| ViaSat-3 | Viasat (USA) | GEO | Deploying | High-capacity broadband |
| Jupiter (EchoStar/Hughes) | USA | GEO | Operational | Consumer broadband |
| Inmarsat GX | UK (Viasat) | GEO | Operational | Aviation/maritime |
| Intelsat fleet | SES (USA/Lux) | GEO | Operational | Broadcast + network |
| Eutelsat GEO fleet | EU | GEO | Operational | Broadcast + broadband |
| Eutelsat Next | Eutelsat (UK/EU) | LEO | Planned | Next-generation 5G-compatible broadband separate from OneWeb fleet |
| SES GEO fleet | Lux | GEO | Operational | Broadcast + connectivity |
| Yahsat (Space42) | UAE | GEO | Operational | Gov + broadband |
| Thuraya | UAE | GEO | Operational | Mobile satellite |
| SDA (Transport + Tracking) | USA | LEO | Deploying | Military mesh + missile warning |
| NRO constellations | USA | LEO | Operational | Intelligence |
| Yaogan | China | LEO | Operational | Reconnaissance |
| Luch relay | Russia | GEO | Operational | Data relay |
| PlanetScope | Planet Labs | LEO | Operational | Daily imaging |
| SkySat | Planet Labs | LEO | Operational | High-res imaging |
| WorldView | Maxar | LEO | Operational | Ultra high-res optical imagery |
| ICEYE | Finland | LEO | Operational | SAR radar |
| Spire Global | Spire Global (USA) | LEO | Operational | Weather, maritime AIS, aviation ADS-B, and radio occultation data |
| Capella Space | USA | LEO | Operational | SAR radar |
| Synspective StriX | Synspective (Japan) | LEO | Deploying | X-band SAR imagery for disaster monitoring, infrastructure, and defense intelligence |
| BlackSky | USA | LEO | Operational | Real-time intel |
| Satellogic | Argentina | LEO | Operational | Imaging |
| HawkEye 360 | USA | LEO | Operational | RF signal geolocation |
| GHGSat | Canada | LEO | Operational | Methane monitoring |
| EarthDaily | EarthDaily Analytics (Canada) | LEO | Deploying | Daily multispectral change detection |
| Rivada Space (Outernet) | Germany/USA | LEO | Planned | Enterprise mesh network |
| Starcloud | USA | LEO | Deploying | Orbital data centers / AI compute |
| Kepler Communications | Canada | LEO | Operational | Data relay / IoT / optical relay network |
| Swarm (SpaceX) | USA | LEO | Retired | Low-cost IoT |
| HEO (Molniya/Tundra systems) | Russia/others | HEO | Operational | Polar coverage |
| Blue Origin TeraWave | Blue Origin (USA) | LEO/MEO | Planned | Enterprise backbone / data-center interconnect |
| ESA Celeste (LEO-PNT) | ESA/EU | LEO | Deploying | LEO positioning, navigation, and timing complement to Galileo |
| Logos Space | Logos Space (USA) | LEO | Planned | Enterprise broadband (resilient, anti-jamming) |
| Open Cosmos ConnectedCosmos | Open Cosmos (UK/EU) | LEO | Deploying | Sovereign broadband + D2D IoT (EU/gov) |
| Blue Origin Project Sunrise | Blue Origin (USA) | LEO (SSO) | Planned | Orbital data centers / AI compute infrastructure |
| Honghu-3 | Hongqing Technology / Landspace (China) | LEO | Planned | Commercial broadband |
| Tianqi | Guodian Gaoke (China) | LEO | Operational | LEO NB-IoT machine-to-machine and IoT data communications |
| Wuyang | China (Guangdong) | LEO | Planned | Low-latitude remote sensing and emergency communications (integrated EO + comms) |
| SpaceX Orbital Data Center | SpaceX (USA) | LEO | Planned | Orbital AI compute / data center infrastructure |
| Unseenlabs (BRO constellation) | Unseenlabs (France) | LEO | Deploying | Multi-domain RF intelligence: maritime vessel detection, land RF emissions, space environment monitoring |
| Meridian Space (SpinLaunch) | SpinLaunch (USA) | LEO | Planned | Enterprise broadband (fixed-track architecture) |
| Univity | Univity (France) | VLEO | Planned | 5G NTN / direct-to-device using telecom operators' own mmWave spectrum |
| SatVu HotSat | SatVu (UK) | LEO | Deploying | Thermal infrared intelligence — heat signatures of buildings and industrial sites globally |
| Xona Space Pulsar | Xona Space (USA) | LEO | Deploying | Commercial LEO PNT — centimeter-accurate positioning, navigation, and timing with signal authentication |
| constellr SkyBee | constellr (Germany) | LEO | Deploying | High-resolution land surface temperature (LST) monitoring for agriculture, climate resilience, and defense intelligence |
| OroraTech FOREST | OroraTech (Germany) | LEO | Operational | Real-time wildfire detection and thermal Earth monitoring using cryocooled infrared payloads |
| FireSat (Earth Fire Alliance) | Earth Fire Alliance / Muon Space (USA) | LEO | Deploying | Real-time wildfire detection and monitoring — detecting ignition sites and hot spots as small as 5×5 m |
| Sateliot | Sateliot (Spain) | LEO | Deploying | 5G NR NB-IoT satellite connectivity — mobile towers in space enabling standard 5G IoT devices to connect without modification |
| Myriota UltraLite | Myriota (Australia) | LEO | Operational | Direct-to-orbit low-power IoT connectivity for asset tracking, agriculture, water management, and environmental sensors |
| CesiumAstro Synchronicity | CesiumAstro (USA) | LEO | Planned | Reconfigurable broadband for fixed and mobile users with in-house phased arrays and AI traffic optimization |
Details
Starlink LEOOperational
- Operator
- SpaceX (USA)
- Purpose
- Broadband internet + Direct-to-Cell
- Bands
- Ku, Ka, E-band (feeder)
- Altitude
- ~340 to 550 km shells (reconfiguring ~4,400 sats to 480 km in 2026)
- Scale
- ~11,150 in orbit as of Oct 2 2026 (~65% of all active satellites in orbit); first 26 Starlink V3 satellites deployed via Starship Flight 14 on Sep 28 2026 — each capable of ~1 Tbps downlink; V3 sats in on-orbit checkout; 12M+ subscribers; FCC-authorized for up to 15,000 total
OneWeb LEOOperational
- Operator
- Eutelsat (UK/EU)
- Purpose
- Enterprise connectivity
- Bands
- Ku, Ka
- Altitude
- ~1,200 km
- Scale
- 648 active satellites (as of Jun 2026); 440 additional next-gen satellites on order from Airbus (340 added Jan 2026, deliveries from end-2026) to replace aging sats as originals reach 5-7yr design life
Amazon Leo LEODeploying
- Operator
- Amazon (USA)
- Purpose
- Consumer + enterprise broadband + D2D
- Bands
- Ka, Ku, E-band (feeder), S-band (via Globalstar acquisition)
- Altitude
- Multiple planned shells (590–630 km)
- Scale
- ~399 production satellites tracked by CelesTrak as of Sep 13 2026 (14 total Amazon Leo missions flown); service launch targeting late 2026/early 2027; FCC granted conditional waiver Jun 5 2026 extending 50%-deployment deadline to Jul 30, 2027, but post-deadline satellites lose original spectrum priority; FCC approved Gen 2 expansion Feb 10 2026; Apr 2026: $11.57B acquisition of Globalstar announced (deal to close 2027); own D2D system planned from 2028
Guowang (SatNet) LEODeploying
- Operator
- China
- Purpose
- National broadband
- Bands
- Ku, Ka
- Altitude
- ~500–600 km (GW-A59 sub-constellation) and ~1,145–1,175 km (GW-2 sub-constellation)
- Scale
- ~190 satellites launched as of mid-Jun 2026 (Group 22 deployed Jun 17 on Long March 12); 13,000 planned (GW-A59: 6,080 sats + GW-2: 6,912 sats); targeting 310 launches in 2026, 900 by 2027
Qianfan (G60 / Spacesail) LEODeploying
- Operator
- China
- Purpose
- Commercial broadband
- Bands
- Ku, Ka
- Altitude
- ~800–1,160 km shells
- Scale
- 238 satellites in orbit (14th batch of 20 deployed Jul 5 2026 on Long March 8A from Hainan; 13th batch of 18 deployed Jul 4 2026 on Long March 6A); also marketed as "Spacesail" brand; targeted 324 by end-Jul 2026 (Phase 1); beta service launched domestically; 1,296 in Phase 1; 15,000+ ultimate plan
Telesat Lightspeed LEODeploying
- Operator
- Canada
- Purpose
- Telco backhaul + defense + Arctic military satcom
- Bands
- Ka, Ka Mil-band (500 MHz, all 225 sats), Q/V (feeder)
- Altitude
- ~1,000 km
- Scale
- 225 satellites (expanded from 156 via C$2.7B Arctic military contract Aug 4 2026; 69 additional Mil-Ka sats for ESCP-P; all by MDA Space; increases capacity 44%); 17 pathfinder/test satellites tracked by CelesTrak; first 2 operational pathfinders targeting Dec 2026; ~96 sats by end-2027; global commercial service Q1 2028; Arctic ESCP-P service from 2028; total investment ~$7B
IRIS2 LEO/MEODeploying
- Operator
- EU
- Purpose
- Secure gov + commercial
- Bands
- Ka, Ku, Q/V (feeder)
- Altitude
- 264 LEO at ~1,200 km; 18 MEO at ~8,000 km
- Scale
- 282 satellites total (264 LEO + 18 MEO); 3 demo/test satellites currently tracked (CelesTrak); gov services from 2030; Eutelsat contracted for 264 LEO sats at €2.1B; EU sovereign secure connectivity program
Iridium NEXT LEOOperational
- Operator
- Iridium (USA)
- Purpose
- Voice + IoT
- Bands
- L-band
- Altitude
- ~780 km
- Scale
- Global constellation (66 operational + 9 in-orbit spares + 6 ground spares)
Globalstar LEOOperational
- Operator
- Globalstar (USA)
- Purpose
- IoT + direct-to-device (Apple/Amazon)
- Bands
- L-band, S-band
- Altitude
- ~1,414 km
- Scale
- 24 Gen-2 operational satellites; Apr 14 2026: Amazon announced $11.57B acquisition of Globalstar — Amazon gains fleet + S-band spectrum licenses; deal closes ~2027 pending regulatory review; Apple Emergency SOS service transitions to Amazon Leo
Orbcomm LEOOperational
- Operator
- Orbcomm (USA)
- Purpose
- IoT / tracking
- Bands
- VHF, UHF, L-band
- Altitude
- LEO mixed
- Scale
- 61 OG1 + OG2 satellites; OG2 (18 sats, launched 2012-2015) provides higher capacity; part of ORBCOMM OGx service platform
AST SpaceMobile LEODeploying
- Operator
- AST (USA)
- Purpose
- Direct-to-phone broadband
- Bands
- Cellular low/mid-band (partner spectrum)
- Altitude
- ~500 km
- Scale
- 13 BlueBird sats in orbit (BB1-BB6 Block 1 + BB8-BB13 Block 2); BB7 lost Apr 2026 due to Blue Origin New Glenn NG-3 anomaly; New Glenn also lost May 28 2026 — remaining launches shifted to SpaceX; BB14 launch expected Oct 2026 via SpaceX; BB11-BB13 solar arrays successfully deployed Aug 2026; 48 sats in production; FCC commercial authorization for 248-satellite constellation Apr 22 2026; beta D2D service with AT&T and Verizon now expected spring 2027 (revised from late 2026)
Lynk Global LEOOperational
- Operator
- Lynk (USA)
- Purpose
- Direct-to-phone messaging + voice
- Bands
- Cellular low/mid-band (partner spectrum), S-band (via Omnispace merger)
- Altitude
- LEO
- Scale
- 3 commercially licensed satellites; 36 contracts across ~50 countries; 640-satellite full constellation planned (2 tranches of 320 sats), commercial service targeting 2027; FCC approved Lynk-Omnispace merger (closed ~Jun 2026) — merger adds Omnispace's 60 MHz globally coordinated S-band spectrum and brings SES as major shareholder
O3b / mPOWER MEOOperational
- Operator
- SES (Lux)
- Purpose
- High-throughput backhaul
- Bands
- Ka-band
- Altitude
- ~8,062 km
- Scale
- 10 operational satellites; final 3 (sats 11-12-13) successfully launched Sep 13 2026 on SpaceX Falcon 9 (SpaceX's 700th Falcon launch); all 13 now in orbit; sats 11-13 raising to 8,000 km via onboard electric propulsion, expected operational mid-2027; full 13-satellite constellation delivers multiple Tbps; also operates legacy O3b MEO fleet
GPS MEOOperational
- Operator
- USA
- Purpose
- Global positioning
- Bands
- L-band
- Altitude
- ~20,200 km
- Scale
- 32 operational satellites; GPS III SV10 launched Apr 21 2026 completing the GPS III block series; nominally 24 active + up to 8 in reserve/spare
Galileo MEOOperational
- Operator
- EU
- Purpose
- Positioning
- Bands
- L-band
- Altitude
- ~23,200 km
- Scale
- 34 satellites launched (4 IOV + 30 FOC); 26 operational, 2 commissioning, 4 not usable; Gen 2 satellites planned from 2026 via Ariane 6
GLONASS MEOOperational
- Operator
- Russia
- Purpose
- Positioning
- Bands
- L-band
- Altitude
- ~19,100 km
- Scale
- 23 operational satellites (3 orbital planes, 8 sats per plane nominal); mix of GLONASS-M and GLONASS-K; GLONASS-V HEO prototype planned 2026-2027
BeiDou MEO/GEO/IGSOOperational
- Operator
- China
- Purpose
- Positioning
- Bands
- L-band, S-band
- Altitude
- MEO ~21,528 km, IGSO ~35,786 km, GEO ~35,786 km
- Scale
- 45 active service satellites (30 BDS-3 + 15 BDS-2); three orbit types: 24 MEO (global), 3 IGSO (Asia-Pacific), 3 GEO (China coverage); additional backup sats launched 2023-2024
QZSS (Michibiki) GSO/GEOOperational
- Operator
- Japan
- Purpose
- Regional positioning
- Bands
- L-band
- Altitude
- ~32,000–36,000 km
- Scale
- Regional PNT system (Japan/Oceania); 4 operational satellites (QZS-1R, QZS-2, QZS-3, QZS-4); QZSS-6 and QZSS-7 planned for launch 2026–2028 to expand system
ViaSat-3 GEODeploying
- Operator
- Viasat (USA)
- Purpose
- High-capacity broadband
- Bands
- Ka-band
- Altitude
- ~35,786 km
- Scale
- All 3 satellites in orbit: F1 (Americas, 2023, commercial service), F2 (EMEA, Nov 2025, entered commercial service May 2026), F3 (APAC, launched Apr 29 2026 via Falcon Heavy, targeting commercial service late 2026); F1 suffered antenna anomaly but remains in commercial service; full 3-satellite global constellation expected fully in service late 2026; each satellite delivers >1 Tbps capacity
Jupiter (EchoStar/Hughes) GEOOperational
- Operator
- USA
- Purpose
- Consumer broadband
- Bands
- Ka-band
- Altitude
- ~35,786 km
- Scale
- 3 operational JUPITER Ka-band HTS satellites: JUPITER 1 (EchoStar 17, 2012), JUPITER 2 (EchoStar 19, 2016), JUPITER 3 (EchoStar 24, Jul 2023; entered service Dec 2023); combined fleet capacity >1 Tbps; serves HughesNet residential and enterprise users across Americas
Inmarsat GX GEOOperational
- Operator
- UK (Viasat)
- Purpose
- Aviation/maritime
- Bands
- Ka-band, L-band (legacy services)
- Altitude
- ~35,786 km
- Scale
- 13 Ka-band operational GEO satellites (GX1-6B in service; GX7, GX8, GX9 next-gen Airbus OneSat under development); 8 L-band (legacy Inmarsat-3/4 series) + 1 S-band + 1 hybrid Ka/L = 23 total Viasat/Inmarsat in-service satellites as of Mar 2026; acquired by Viasat Nov 2023
Intelsat fleet GEOOperational
- Operator
- SES (USA/Lux)
- Purpose
- Broadcast + network
- Bands
- C-band, Ku-band, Ka-band
- Altitude
- ~35,786 km
- Scale
- Acquired by SES Jul 2025; ~90 GEO satellites now operated as part of combined SES+Intelsat fleet (120 total GEO+MEO); continues serving video, government, and enterprise customers
Eutelsat GEO fleet GEOOperational
- Operator
- EU
- Purpose
- Broadcast + broadband
- Bands
- Ku-band, Ka-band, C-band
- Altitude
- ~35,786 km
- Scale
- 33 operational GEO satellites; Ku/Ka/C-band; strategic pivot toward multi-orbit combining GEO with OneWeb LEO; Flexsat Asia (software-defined) planned for Asian coverage expansion
Eutelsat Next LEOPlanned
- Operator
- Eutelsat (UK/EU)
- Purpose
- Next-generation 5G-compatible broadband separate from OneWeb fleet
- Bands
- Ku, Ka
- Altitude
- ~1,220 km
- Scale
- FCC filing Jul 2026 for 528-satellite constellation (plus in-orbit spares) in 24 orbital planes; Ku/Ka-band, 5G-compatible; ~50 gateway stations worldwide (6 in US); satellites may carry optical ISLs; operated separately from OneWeb 648-satellite fleet; no manufacturing contracts, budget, or launch schedule — early-stage long-term planning; no CelesTrak coverage yet
SES GEO fleet GEOOperational
- Operator
- Lux
- Purpose
- Broadcast + connectivity
- Bands
- C-band, Ku-band, Ka-band
- Altitude
- ~35,786 km
- Scale
- ~90 GEO satellites operated by SES (post-Intelsat merger Jul 2025, combined ~120 GEO+MEO); includes Astra (19.2°E, 28.2°E), SES series, legacy orbit slots; SES predicts end of large-GEO era and is not replacing most sats like-for-like; multi-orbit pivot combining GEO+O3b MEO+OneWeb LEO
Yahsat (Space42) GEOOperational
- Operator
- UAE
- Purpose
- Gov + broadband
- Bands
- Ka-band, L-band
- Altitude
- ~35,786 km
- Scale
- 6 operational GEO satellites (Al Yah 1, 2, 3, Yahsat 1A, 1B + Thuraya 4 as fleet asset); merged with Bayanat in Oct 2024 to form Space42; Al Yah 4 and Al Yah 5 under construction (Airbus, contract Jun 2024), launches planned 2027-2028
Thuraya GEOOperational
- Operator
- UAE
- Purpose
- Mobile satellite
- Bands
- L-band
- Altitude
- ~35,786 km
- Scale
- 3 operational GEO satellites (Space42/Yahsat subsidiary): Thuraya 1 (98.5°E), Thuraya 2 (44°E), Thuraya 4-NGS (entered service Nov 2025, launched Jan 3 2025); Thuraya 3 out of service since Apr 2024 payload anomaly
SDA (Transport + Tracking) LEODeploying
- Operator
- USA
- Purpose
- Military mesh + missile warning
- Bands
- Ka-band, Optical ISL, Infrared payload links
- Altitude
- LEO (~1,000 km, multiple inclinations)
- Scale
- Tranche 1: 63 satellites on orbit across 3 planes (Plane A Sept 2025 York Space 21 sats; Plane B Oct 2025 Lockheed Martin 21 sats; Plane C Jul 16 2026 York Space 21 sats); Plane D: 21 Northrop Grumman sats delivered to Vandenberg Sep 29 2026 — SDA expects launch early Oct 2026; Tranche 1 total: 126 satellites (also includes 42 Tracking Layer sats); Tranche 2 (270 sats) targeting late 2026/2027; Tranche 3 not funded in 2026 budget
NRO constellations LEOOperational
- Operator
- USA
- Purpose
- Intelligence
- Bands
- Mission dependent (RF/optical)
- Altitude
- LEO and other mission orbits
- Scale
- Classified multi-program systems
Yaogan LEOOperational
- Operator
- China
- Purpose
- Reconnaissance
- Bands
- Mission dependent (RF/optical)
- Altitude
- LEO
- Scale
- Multi-satellite series
Luch relay GEOOperational
- Operator
- Russia
- Purpose
- Data relay
- Bands
- S-band, Ku-band, Ka-band
- Altitude
- ~35,786 km
- Scale
- Relay satellite system
PlanetScope LEOOperational
- Operator
- Planet Labs
- Purpose
- Daily imaging
- Bands
- X-band, S-band
- Altitude
- ~475 km class
- Scale
- Large imaging constellation; ~200+ Dove CubeSats delivering 3–5 m imagery; daily global scan coverage
SkySat LEOOperational
- Operator
- Planet Labs
- Purpose
- High-res imaging
- Bands
- X-band, S-band
- Altitude
- ~450 to 600 km
- Scale
- 21 SkySat satellites; world's largest high-resolution imaging fleet; 50 cm resolution; operated by Planet Labs (acquired from Google 2017)
WorldView LEOOperational
- Operator
- Maxar
- Purpose
- Ultra high-res optical imagery
- Bands
- Electro-optical (pan 30 cm, 8-band multispectral), SWIR (WV-3)
- Altitude
- ~450–620 km
- Scale
- 10 operational satellites: 6 WorldView Legion (launched in 3 pairs May 2024–Feb 2025; 30 cm resolution, 6.6M km²/day capacity) + 4 legacy heritage satellites (WorldView-2/3, GeoEye-1 series); Maxar Intelligence rebranded to Vantor Oct 2025 — player card update flagged for player-audit
ICEYE LEOOperational
- Operator
- Finland
- Purpose
- SAR radar
- Bands
- X-band (SAR)
- Altitude
- ~500–600 km
- Scale
- 40+ operational SAR microsatellites; world's largest commercial SAR constellation; 6 new 25 cm resolution Gen-4 satellites added Mar 2026 (Transporter-16 rideshare); total 70+ launched since 2018
Spire Global LEOOperational
- Operator
- Spire Global (USA)
- Purpose
- Weather, maritime AIS, aviation ADS-B, and radio occultation data
- Bands
- UHF, L-band, GNSS-RO
- Altitude
- ~500 km
- Scale
- 100+ LEMUR nanosatellites; multi-payload design carrying weather (GNSS-RO), AIS, and ADS-B receivers simultaneously
Capella Space LEOOperational
- Operator
- USA
- Purpose
- SAR radar
- Bands
- X-band (SAR)
- Altitude
- ~525 km
- Scale
- ~10 operational X-band SAR satellites (Sequoia/Whitney/Acadia generations); 50 cm spotlight resolution; first US commercial SAR provider; next-gen satellites with advanced propulsion planned late 2026
Synspective StriX LEODeploying
- Operator
- Synspective (Japan)
- Purpose
- X-band SAR imagery for disaster monitoring, infrastructure, and defense intelligence
- Bands
- X-band (SAR, 1–3 m resolution, strip map + sliding spotlight)
- Altitude
- ~550–600 km
- Scale
- 13 satellites in orbit as of Sep 26 2026 (StriX-α demo 2020 + StriX-β 2022 + StriX-1 through StriX-13 operational series); 13th satellite deployed by Rocket Lab Electron Sep 26 2026; 14+ more Electron launches under contract for remaining constellation; 25–30 satellites total planned by end of decade; 100 kg operational design with all-weather / day-night imaging; developed in collaboration with JAXA; no CelesTrak coverage verified (proxy blocked during routine — suggest NAME=STRIX query)
BlackSky LEOOperational
- Operator
- USA
- Purpose
- Real-time intel
- Bands
- Electro-optical (panchromatic + multispectral), Infrared (Gen-3)
- Altitude
- ~450 km
- Scale
- ~23 operational satellites: 4 Gen-3 (35 cm resolution, adds infrared, rapidly commissioned within hours of launch) + 19 legacy Gen-2; targeting 12+ Gen-3 by end 2026
Satellogic LEOOperational
- Operator
- Argentina
- Purpose
- Imaging
- Bands
- Multispectral/hyperspectral (visible + NIR), X-band (downlink)
- Altitude
- ~500–600 km
- Scale
- 17 operational ÑuSat/NewSat satellites as of Dec 2025 (+2 commissioning); Aleph-1 constellation; Merlin next-gen (daily 1m global remapping, 10 spectral bands, ISL) first launch Oct 2026
HawkEye 360 LEOOperational
- Operator
- USA
- Purpose
- RF signal geolocation
- Bands
- VHF/UHF/S-band (receive only)
- Altitude
- ~550 km
- Scale
- 36 satellites in orbit (12 clusters of 3; Pathfinder + Clusters 1–12); sub-km RF geolocation accuracy; Clusters 11 and 13 in development for further expansion beyond original 30-satellite plan
GHGSat LEOOperational
- Operator
- Canada
- Purpose
- Methane monitoring
- Bands
- SWIR (methane/CO2 WFMD absorption spectrometry), X-band (downlink)
- Altitude
- ~500–600 km
- Scale
- 16 satellites launched (C1–C15 methane + 1 CO2 monitor); C14 and C15 launched Nov 2025; world's largest greenhouse gas monitoring constellation; plans to near-double fleet by end 2026
EarthDaily LEODeploying
- Operator
- EarthDaily Analytics (Canada)
- Purpose
- Daily multispectral change detection
- Bands
- Optical (visible/NIR/SWIR/LWIR — 22 spectral bands, 5 m resolution)
- Altitude
- ~500–550 km
- Scale
- 6 satellites launched May 3 2026 (SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare); 20+ planned for daily global coverage; commercial operations targeted late summer 2026; each satellite integrates 16 imaging systems across 22 spectral bands; NRO commercial EO contract awarded May 2026; no CelesTrak coverage yet (too recent)
Rivada Space (Outernet) LEOPlanned
- Operator
- Germany/USA
- Purpose
- Enterprise mesh network
- Bands
- Ka-band, Optical ISL
- Altitude
- ~1000 km (planned)
- Scale
- 600 LEO satellites planned; $16B+ in service agreements (33 countries); ITU Jun 2026 milestone of 144 sats MISSED — no operational satellites launched as of Jun 2026; demo mission still planned for 2026 with commercial service delivery by late 2027; manufacturing at Terran Orbital (Lockheed Martin subsidiary); 12 Falcon 9 launch contracts with SpaceX still in place; spectrum rights dispute with Chinese-backed entities resolved Dec 2025
Starcloud LEODeploying
- Operator
- USA
- Purpose
- Orbital data centers / AI compute
- Bands
- Ka-band, Optical
- Altitude
- LEO
- Scale
- Starcloud-1 operational (Nov 2025, NVIDIA H100). Starcloud-2 with Blackwell planned Oct 2026. FCC filing for up to 88,000 satellites.
Kepler Communications LEOOperational
- Operator
- Canada
- Purpose
- Data relay / IoT / optical relay network
- Bands
- Ku-band, L-band, Optical ISL
- Altitude
- LEO (~550 km SSO for Aether)
- Scale
- Legacy narrowband fleet + Feb 2026: 10 next-gen Aether optical relay satellites (~300 kg each) launched on Falcon 9 into SSO; Aether sats carry high-capacity SDA-compatible optical terminals and onboard compute for edge AI processing; expanding to additional tranches every ~2 years
Swarm (SpaceX) LEORetired
- Operator
- USA
- Purpose
- Low-cost IoT
- Bands
- VHF
- Altitude
- LEO
- Scale
- 150 SpaceBEE IoT satellites completed Jun 2023; SpaceX ceased Swarm VHF IoT service in March 2025 with no further launches planned; SpaceX integrating IoT capabilities into Starlink Direct-to-Cell
HEO (Molniya/Tundra systems) HEOOperational
- Operator
- Russia/others
- Purpose
- Polar coverage
- Bands
- UHF, L-band, X-band (mission dependent)
- Altitude
- Highly elliptical
- Scale
- Regional mission systems
Blue Origin TeraWave LEO/MEOPlanned
- Operator
- Blue Origin (USA)
- Purpose
- Enterprise backbone / data-center interconnect
- Bands
- Q/V-band (user links), E-band (gateway links), Ka-band (TT&C), Optical ISL (LEO and MEO)
- Altitude
- 520–540 km (LEO), 8,000–24,200 km (MEO)
- Scale
- 5,408 satellites — 5,280 LEO (shells at 520 km/82.5°, 530 km/58°, 540 km/36°) plus 128 MEO, all optically interconnected. Blue Origin says each customer can access up to 144 Gbps over Q/V-band from the LEO layer. Its headline 'up to 6 Tbps' is attached to optical links from the MEO layer, but the company has not said whether that figure is per customer, per satellite, or the layer's aggregate capacity — and its FCC application contains no throughput figures at all, describing the service only as 'multigigabit'. Filed as Fixed-Satellite Service for enterprise, data-centre and government users; user terminals are phased arrays at customer premises, so this is neither consumer broadband nor direct-to-device. FCC application SAT-LOA-20260120-00033 was accepted for filing in Feb 2026 — an administrative step, not a grant — with six rule waivers requested, and remained pending as of May 2026. Deployment is to begin Q4 2027; no service-start date has been announced, and the satellite bus is undisclosed.
ESA Celeste (LEO-PNT) LEODeploying
- Operator
- ESA/EU
- Purpose
- LEO positioning, navigation, and timing complement to Galileo
- Bands
- L-band, S-band
- Altitude
- ~510 km
- Scale
- 11-satellite in-orbit demonstrator (+ 2 spares); 2 Pathfinder-A CubeSats (12U + 16U) launched 28 Mar 2026 on Rocket Lab Electron; Pathfinder-B satellites and full demonstrator constellation planned for 2027; aimed at complementing Galileo/EGNOS
Logos Space LEOPlanned
- Operator
- Logos Space (USA)
- Purpose
- Enterprise broadband (resilient, anti-jamming)
- Bands
- Ka-band, Q/V-band (feeder)
- Altitude
- 870–925 km
- Scale
- FCC authorized 4,178 satellites (Feb 2026); 7 orbital shells at 870–925 km; Phase 1: 1,092 sats; full constellation 3,960 sats; targets enterprise, government, and defense customers; first operational satellite targeting 2027-2028; backed by USIT ($50M investment); led by former Google exec Milo Medin
Open Cosmos ConnectedCosmos LEODeploying
- Operator
- Open Cosmos (UK/EU)
- Purpose
- Sovereign broadband + D2D IoT (EU/gov)
- Bands
- Ka-band
- Altitude
- ~1,050 km
- Scale
- First 2 pathfinder satellites launched Jan 22 2026 (Rocket Lab Electron, 1,050 km SSO); 576 total planned under Liechtenstein Ka-band ITU license; ITU milestone of 144 sats by Jun 10 2026 MISSED — citing force majeure (PSLV grounding after Jan failure); ITU RRB declined extension pending more information (Jun 2026 meeting); next review Oct 26-30 2026 ITU RRB meeting; company building satellites at 4 sites "24/7"; spectrum filing at risk if extension not granted
Blue Origin Project Sunrise LEO (SSO)Planned
- Operator
- Blue Origin (USA)
- Purpose
- Orbital data centers / AI compute infrastructure
- Bands
- TBD
- Altitude
- 500–1,800 km (SSO)
- Scale
- Up to 51,600 satellites in sun-synchronous orbits at 500–1,800 km; focused on orbital edge computing and AI training clusters for customers who cannot build ground-based data centers; distinct from TeraWave (comms backbone); announced/filed Mar 2026; no launch date yet
Honghu-3 LEOPlanned
- Operator
- Hongqing Technology / Landspace (China)
- Purpose
- Commercial broadband
- Bands
- Ka, Ku
- Altitude
- 340–550 km
- Scale
- 10,000 satellites planned across 160 orbital planes; Landspace holds 48% stake in Hongqing Technology; ITU filing May 2024; 340M yuan raised Feb 2025 from state-affiliated investors; satellite manufacturing facility in Wuxi, Jiangsu province; Landspace Zhuque-3 rocket (~21,000 kg to LEO) planned for launches; no satellites in orbit yet — third major Chinese LEO broadband constellation alongside Guowang and Qianfan
Tianqi LEOOperational
- Operator
- Guodian Gaoke (China)
- Purpose
- LEO NB-IoT machine-to-machine and IoT data communications
- Bands
- UHF, L-band
- Altitude
- ~500–600 km
- Scale
- Phase I complete: ~40 satellites (Tianqi-1 through 40) forming global network; China's first LEO NB-IoT constellation providing global coverage; Phase II: 48 additional satellites planned H2 2026; ultimate constellation: 112 satellites
Wuyang LEOPlanned
- Operator
- China (Guangdong)
- Purpose
- Low-latitude remote sensing and emergency communications (integrated EO + comms)
- Bands
- Ka-band, X-band (sensing)
- Altitude
- LEO (TBD)
- Scale
- First pioneer satellite planned mid-2026; 3 pioneer satellites total; 25 application satellites by 2028 for daily full low-latitude coverage with sub-30-min emergency response; 1,008-satellite commercial network by ~2035; covers 15 southern China provinces and 99 low-latitude countries; real-time global low-latitude coverage targeting 2030
SpaceX Orbital Data Center LEOPlanned
- Operator
- SpaceX (USA)
- Purpose
- Orbital AI compute / data center infrastructure
- Bands
- Ka-band (TT&C backup), Optical ISL (to Starlink + ground)
- Altitude
- 500–2,000 km
- Scale
- FCC filing accepted Feb 2026 for up to 1 million satellites; separate from but optically integrated with Starlink; exploits near-constant solar power for AI/compute cost efficiency; SpaceX acquired xAI to pursue this program; pilot testing on Starlink V3 hardware targeted 2026; no launch date yet
Unseenlabs (BRO constellation) LEODeploying
- Operator
- Unseenlabs (France)
- Purpose
- Multi-domain RF intelligence: maritime vessel detection, land RF emissions, space environment monitoring
- Bands
- VHF/UHF/S-band (receive only — patented monosatellite RF geolocation)
- Altitude
- ~500–600 km
- Scale
- Existing fleet: 13+ operational monosatellites (BRO series, maritime RF surveillance since 2019; sub-km geolocation accuracy without ground truth); next-gen constellation: 150 kg multi-domain satellites targeting 2026 launch; expands from maritime to land and space domain awareness
Meridian Space (SpinLaunch) LEOPlanned
- Operator
- SpinLaunch (USA)
- Purpose
- Enterprise broadband (fixed-track architecture)
- Bands
- Ka, Ku, V-band
- Altitude
- ~830 km
- Scale
- FCC filing for 1,200 satellites; initial 280-satellite tranche contracted to Kongsberg NanoAvionics (122.5M EUR contract); first customer-link demo satellite targeting Oct 2026; initial 280-sat deployment to deliver ~2 Tbps sellable bandwidth; Equinix partnership for global ground infrastructure (Apr 2026); $30M funding closed Aug 2025; fixed-track orbit design simplifies terminals and gateways
Univity VLEOPlanned
- Operator
- Univity (France)
- Purpose
- 5G NTN / direct-to-device using telecom operators' own mmWave spectrum
- Bands
- 5G mmWave (telecom partner spectrum), Ka-band (feeder)
- Altitude
- ~300–450 km (VLEO)
- Scale
- 1,600+ VLEO satellites planned for initial constellation; 2 uniShape prototype satellites (5G regenerative payload) targeting 2027 launch; €27M Series A raised Apr 2026 (led by Blast, Expansion, Bpifrance Deeptech 2030 fund); mass production of operational sats from 2028; operated as wholesale infrastructure for telecom operators
SatVu HotSat LEODeploying
- Operator
- SatVu (UK)
- Purpose
- Thermal infrared intelligence — heat signatures of buildings and industrial sites globally
- Bands
- MWIR (mid-wave infrared, 3.5 m resolution thermal imaging), X-band (downlink)
- Altitude
- ~500–550 km
- Scale
- HotSat-1 (demo, in orbit 2023) + HotSat-2 (launched Mar 30 2026 on SpaceX Transporter-16, commercial ops commenced Jun 29 2026); HotSat-3 in production for 2026 launch; 9-satellite full constellation planned for 10–20 revisits/day globally; £60M total equity raised (£30M Feb 2026 round led by NATO Innovation Fund)
Xona Space Pulsar LEODeploying
- Operator
- Xona Space (USA)
- Purpose
- Commercial LEO PNT — centimeter-accurate positioning, navigation, and timing with signal authentication
- Bands
- L-band (PNT signals, 100× stronger than GPS), X-band (TT&C)
- Altitude
- LEO (~550 km class)
- Scale
- Pulsar-0 (IOV, launched 2025 on SpaceX Transporter-14) validating signal authentication and performance; 8 production satellites ordered from Aerospacelab (Jan 2026); 258-satellite full constellation planned for continuous global PNT coverage; $170M Series C raised Mar 2026; commercial service targeting 2027; targets distributed timing, autonomous vehicles, and connected devices
constellr SkyBee LEODeploying
- Operator
- constellr (Germany)
- Purpose
- High-resolution land surface temperature (LST) monitoring for agriculture, climate resilience, and defense intelligence
- Bands
- MWIR/LWIR (thermal infrared, sub-5 m resolution), X-band (downlink)
- Altitude
- ~510 km
- Scale
- SkyBee-1 (launched Jan 2025) + SkyBee-2 (launched Jun 2025) both operational; SkyBee-3 planned Q3 2026; 30-satellite full constellation planned; €75M total funding (€37M Series A Feb 2026 led by NATO Innovation Fund contributors); SKY Perfect JSAT distribution partnership for Japan; targets agriculture water stress, urban heat islands, and defense thermal intelligence
OroraTech FOREST LEOOperational
- Operator
- OroraTech (Germany)
- Purpose
- Real-time wildfire detection and thermal Earth monitoring using cryocooled infrared payloads
- Bands
- MWIR/LWIR (SAFIRE Gen4 cryocooled thermal IR), X-band (downlink)
- Altitude
- ~500–550 km
- Scale
- 14+ operational thermal imaging satellites by mid-2026; Hellenic Fire System (4 dedicated satellites for Greece, world's first nation-specific wildfire constellation, launched May 2026); additional SAFIRE Gen4 payloads aboard 4 Kepler Communications satellites (partnership Jan 2026); OroraTech operates more thermal satellites than any single country; expanding toward full wildfire monitoring constellation
FireSat (Earth Fire Alliance) LEODeploying
- Operator
- Earth Fire Alliance / Muon Space (USA)
- Purpose
- Real-time wildfire detection and monitoring — detecting ignition sites and hot spots as small as 5×5 m
- Bands
- MWIR/SWIR (6-band multispectral IR, Muon Halo satellites), X-band (downlink)
- Altitude
- ~600 km
- Scale
- FireSat0 (pathfinder/demo) launched Mar 2025; first 3 operational FireSats launched Jul 7 2026 (SpaceX Transporter-17 rideshare from Vandenberg); 50+ satellite full constellation planned by 2030 for 20-min global revisit; $26M Bezos Earth Fund grant; Google-backed nonprofit EFA operates; operated by Muon Space
Sateliot LEODeploying
- Operator
- Sateliot (Spain)
- Purpose
- 5G NR NB-IoT satellite connectivity — mobile towers in space enabling standard 5G IoT devices to connect without modification
- Bands
- 5G NR NB-IoT (partner spectrum, n256 S-band), VHF/UHF (legacy)
- Altitude
- ~500 km
- Scale
- 6 operational satellites as of early 2026 (first claimed LEO 5G NTN NB-IoT service); 5 next-gen Trió satellites planned Oct 2026 (built by Alén Space); 16 more in 2027; 100-satellite target by 2028; €116M Series C launched Apr 2026 (Spanish state fund + EIB); 450+ customers with €250M in recurring contracts; first standards-based 5G NTN NB-IoT connection from LEO to commercial device achieved 2026
Myriota UltraLite LEOOperational
- Operator
- Myriota (Australia)
- Purpose
- Direct-to-orbit low-power IoT connectivity for asset tracking, agriculture, water management, and environmental sensors
- Bands
- UHF (sub-GHz direct-to-orbit IoT, ~20-byte messages)
- Altitude
- LEO
- Scale
- UltraLite constellation: 8 satellites launched Jan 2026 (SpaceX Twilight rideshare) + 4 more Mar 31 2026 (SpaceX Transporter-16); tens of millions of IoT connections served globally; two-way messaging capability; no dedicated terminal required — ultra-small sensors connect directly to satellites; ongoing fleet expansion planned 2026
CesiumAstro Synchronicity LEOPlanned
- Operator
- CesiumAstro (USA)
- Purpose
- Reconfigurable broadband for fixed and mobile users with in-house phased arrays and AI traffic optimization
- Bands
- Ku, Ka, V-band
- Altitude
- 1,100–1,200 km
- Scale
- FCC filed Jul 6 2026 for 737-satellite constellation in two tranches (1,100 km and 1,200 km); Ku/Ka/V-band; supports CesiumAstro and third-party terminals; FCC license requested before Jan 2027; $270M Series C raised; no launch date announced; no CelesTrak coverage yet
Explore this interactively — diagrams, filters and live data: Open the live constellation tracker →