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Space dashboard

Everything humanity has put in orbit, and everything the sky has taken back, from Sputnik in 1957 to the CelesTrak snapshot of 2026-09-14. Every figure is computed live from the same catalog that drives the 3D atlas.

22,042
Intact objects in orbit now
Payloads and spent rocket bodies still up there.
27,195
Payloads ever cataloged
6,587 rocket bodies alongside them.
23,926 t
Tonnes of hardware in orbit
GCAT masses, known for 96% of the objects up there.
12,345
Tracked debris fragments in orbit
64% of all cataloged debris has already reentered.

How orbits filled up

Each band is the number of objects in that orbit class at year's end. The whole stack is everything in orbit, so one picture shows both how fast space filled up and which orbits it filled: low orbit dominates, and the recent surge is the megaconstellations.

Objects in orbit by orbit class, 1957 to today
Tracked payloads and rocket bodies still in orbit at each year's end, stacked by orbit class.
05k10k15k20k25k1960197019801990200020102020LEO: 18,700 in orbit todayLEO · 18,700MEO: 642 in orbit todayMEO · 642GEO: 1,708 in orbit todayGEO · 1,708HEO: 992 in orbit todayHEO · 992
Low Earth orbit holds the overwhelming majority: 18,700 of the 22,042 intact objects in orbit today. Reconstructed from launch and decay dates, so the 2026 edge matches the live counts above.Source: CelesTrak SATCAT.
See the orbits in motionOpens the 3D atlas coloured by orbit class: the low shells hug the globe, the geostationary ring hangs far out, and the timeline replays how each one filled.

How constellations filled up

Each band is a named constellation still in orbit at year's end. The Other band is every unique spacecraft and rocket body the atlas does not colour as a fleet. The stack is the same total as the chart above, so you can see which fleets filled the sky: until 2019 almost every object was its own mission, and then the broadband constellations arrived.

Objects in orbit by constellation, 1957 to today
Tracked payloads and rocket bodies still in orbit at each year's end, stacked by named constellation.
05k10k15k20k25k1960197019801990200020102020Other: 9,501 in orbit todayOther · 9,501Starlink: 11,130 in orbit todayStarlink · 11,130OneWeb: 654 in orbit todayOneWeb · 654Amazon Leo: 392 in orbit todayAmazon Leo · 392GLONASS: 144 in orbit todayIridium: 105 in orbit todayGPS: 80 in orbit todayGalileo: 34 in orbit todaySpace Stations: 2 in orbit today
Named constellations are now 57% of everything still in orbit. Starlink alone is 11,130 satellites, with OneWeb at 654 and Amazon Leo at 392 growing beside it. The Other band is the rest of the catalog: unique spacecraft and spent rocket bodies. Reconstructed from launch and decay dates, so the 2026 edge matches the live counts above.Source: CelesTrak SATCAT.
ConstellationShare in orbitIn orbitTracked
Starlink
11,13012,862
OneWeb
654656
Amazon Leo
392398
GLONASS
144147
Iridium
105175
GPS
8080
Galileo
3434
Space Stations
215
Watch the fleets fill the skyOpens the atlas coloured by constellation. Scrub back to 2019 and press play to watch Starlink arrive shell by shell.

The mass in orbit

Counting objects treats a quarter tonne broadband satellite and a twenty tonne station module as equals. Weighing them shows where the substance of the space age actually sits. Masses are GCAT figures, known for 96% of the objects in orbit; the few unknowns count as zero, so these totals are slightly conservative.

Tonnes in orbit by orbit class, 1957 to today
Combined mass of the tracked payloads and rocket bodies still in orbit at each year's end, in tonnes, stacked by orbit class.
05k10k15k20k25k1960197019801990200020102020LEO: 10,776 in orbit todayLEO · 10,776MEO: 1,917 in orbit todayMEO · 1,917GEO: 7,197 in orbit todayGEO · 7,197HEO: 4,035 in orbit todayHEO · 4,035
Humanity is keeping about 23,926 tonnes of hardware in orbit right now: 10,776 tonnes of it in low orbit and 7,197 tonnes out on the geosynchronous ring, where the biggest communications platforms live.Source: CelesTrak SATCAT; masses from GCAT (J. McDowell, CC BY 4.0).
Payloads versus spent rocket stages, by mass
The same tonnes in orbit, split into working payloads and the rocket bodies that delivered them.
05k10k15k20k25k1960197019801990200020102020Payloads: 13,556 in orbit todayPayloads · 13,556Rocket bodies: 10,370 in orbit todayRocket bodies · 10,370
Spent upper stages still account for 43% of the mass in orbit, a legacy of the decades when stages stayed up after delivery. The balance is shifting the right way: modern upper stages deorbit themselves, so nearly all the mass added in the constellation era is working spacecraft, and in 2024 payload mass moved ahead of rocket stage mass for the first time since the early 1960s.Source: CelesTrak SATCAT; masses from GCAT (J. McDowell, CC BY 4.0).

Entering and leaving orbit

Bars above the line are objects entering orbit; bars below are objects reentering and burning up. Each bar is split by population, so you can see how much of the traffic is working spacecraft (payloads and rocket bodies) versus tracked debris. One shared scale top and bottom keeps the heights honest.

Objects entering and leaving orbit, per year
Satellites launched and debris created (up) versus objects reentering (down), each year, split by population.
2k4k6k2k4k19601970198019902000201020203 satellites launched1 satellites reentered7 satellites launched2 debris fragments created3 satellites reentered13 satellites launched4 debris fragments created5 satellites reentered30 satellites launched21 debris fragments created13 satellites reentered7 debris fragments reentered52 satellites launched354 debris fragments created34 satellites reentered22 debris fragments reentered106 satellites launched78 debris fragments created68 satellites reentered59 debris fragments reentered100 satellites launched234 debris fragments created61 satellites reentered25 debris fragments reentered143 satellites launched134 debris fragments created76 satellites reentered35 debris fragments reentered198 satellites launched1,195 debris fragments created83 satellites reentered166 debris fragments reentered179 satellites launched394 debris fragments created104 satellites reentered236 debris fragments reentered241 satellites launched177 debris fragments created146 satellites reentered147 debris fragments reentered226 satellites launched438 debris fragments created156 satellites reentered127 debris fragments reentered214 satellites launched398 debris fragments created158 satellites reentered160 debris fragments reentered221 satellites launched665 debris fragments created145 satellites reentered127 debris fragments reentered246 satellites launched357 debris fragments created126 satellites reentered185 debris fragments reentered229 satellites launched411 debris fragments created124 satellites reentered227 debris fragments reentered237 satellites launched520 debris fragments created141 satellites reentered296 debris fragments reentered244 satellites launched458 debris fragments created141 satellites reentered211 debris fragments reentered286 satellites launched821 debris fragments created144 satellites reentered260 debris fragments reentered302 satellites launched687 debris fragments created154 satellites reentered254 debris fragments reentered273 satellites launched644 debris fragments created147 satellites reentered324 debris fragments reentered286 satellites launched471 debris fragments created172 satellites reentered340 debris fragments reentered251 satellites launched325 debris fragments created197 satellites reentered429 debris fragments reentered253 satellites launched372 debris fragments created199 satellites reentered360 debris fragments reentered296 satellites launched874 debris fragments created182 satellites reentered443 debris fragments reentered291 satellites launched634 debris fragments created177 satellites reentered372 debris fragments reentered324 satellites launched554 debris fragments created179 satellites reentered313 debris fragments reentered335 satellites launched393 debris fragments created163 satellites reentered383 debris fragments reentered328 satellites launched733 debris fragments created147 satellites reentered288 debris fragments reentered268 satellites launched1,095 debris fragments created146 satellites reentered387 debris fragments reentered282 satellites launched876 debris fragments created146 satellites reentered479 debris fragments reentered282 satellites launched508 debris fragments created179 satellites reentered757 debris fragments reentered274 satellites launched643 debris fragments created194 satellites reentered860 debris fragments reentered326 satellites launched355 debris fragments created169 satellites reentered378 debris fragments reentered253 satellites launched550 debris fragments created146 satellites reentered408 debris fragments reentered259 satellites launched478 debris fragments created143 satellites reentered215 debris fragments reentered214 satellites launched249 debris fragments created100 satellites reentered131 debris fragments reentered241 satellites launched296 debris fragments created99 satellites reentered90 debris fragments reentered187 satellites launched342 debris fragments created89 satellites reentered83 debris fragments reentered177 satellites launched805 debris fragments created78 satellites reentered163 debris fragments reentered244 satellites launched112 debris fragments created79 satellites reentered334 debris fragments reentered652 satellites launched250 debris fragments created95 satellites reentered300 debris fragments reentered219 satellites launched188 debris fragments created109 satellites reentered323 debris fragments reentered219 satellites launched394 debris fragments created130 satellites reentered270 debris fragments reentered144 satellites launched426 debris fragments created128 satellites reentered281 debris fragments reentered161 satellites launched233 debris fragments created112 satellites reentered396 debris fragments reentered151 satellites launched77 debris fragments created70 satellites reentered233 debris fragments reentered140 satellites launched71 debris fragments created71 satellites reentered127 debris fragments reentered126 satellites launched63 debris fragments created67 satellites reentered147 debris fragments reentered150 satellites launched499 debris fragments created58 satellites reentered220 debris fragments reentered171 satellites launched3,679 debris fragments created60 satellites reentered138 debris fragments reentered175 satellites launched750 debris fragments created59 satellites reentered688 debris fragments reentered186 satellites launched2,556 debris fragments created60 satellites reentered242 debris fragments reentered180 satellites launched221 debris fragments created62 satellites reentered320 debris fragments reentered188 satellites launched116 debris fragments created83 satellites reentered420 debris fragments reentered197 satellites launched275 debris fragments created78 satellites reentered393 debris fragments reentered265 satellites launched158 debris fragments created81 satellites reentered374 debris fragments reentered263 satellites launched271 debris fragments created134 satellites reentered546 debris fragments reentered239 satellites launched541 debris fragments created115 satellites reentered365 debris fragments reentered240 satellites launched103 debris fragments created106 satellites reentered160 debris fragments reentered447 satellites launched64 debris fragments created86 satellites reentered114 debris fragments reentered485 satellites launched430 debris fragments created141 satellites reentered107 debris fragments reentered533 satellites launched239 debris fragments created138 satellites reentered192 debris fragments reentered1,286 satellites launched478 debris fragments created164 satellites reentered266 debris fragments reentered1,847 satellites launched1,917 debris fragments created224 satellites reentered316 debris fragments reentered2,491 satellites launched1,004 debris fragments created427 satellites reentered2,055 debris fragments reentered2,970 satellites launched138 debris fragments created758 satellites reentered1,310 debris fragments reentered2,902 satellites launched736 debris fragments created1,190 satellites reentered988 debris fragments reentered4,620 satellites launched21 debris fragments created1,213 satellites reentered661 debris fragments reentered3,214 satellites launched67 debris fragments created707 satellites reentered244 debris fragments reenteredentering orbitreentering
Launches now run into the thousands per year as constellations deploy in batches. Debris creation shows up as sharp spikes at the events that made it: the 2007 and 2009 collisions and anti-satellite tests. Reentries rise and fall with the 11-year solar cycle, which puffs up the upper atmosphere and pulls low orbits down faster.Source: CelesTrak SATCAT. Debris creation dates use the documented breakup dates of the major events; smaller families are dated to their parent launch.
The last 120 days, day by day
Objects entering and leaving orbit each day since 2026-05-18, split into satellites and debris.
5010050JunJulAugSep1 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 satellites launched3 satellites reentered24 satellites launched2 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered29 satellites launched2 satellites reentered3 satellites launched4 satellites reentered2 debris fragments reentered2 satellites reentered1 satellites launched4 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered29 satellites launched2 satellites reentered26 satellites launched5 satellites reentered2 debris fragments reentered1 satellites reentered3 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered58 satellites launched3 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered28 satellites launched1 satellites reentered3 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered3 satellites launched4 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered24 satellites launched2 satellites reentered48 satellites launched6 satellites reentered19 satellites launched1 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered2 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered23 satellites launched5 satellites reentered29 satellites launched1 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered3 satellites launched7 debris fragments created4 satellites reentered1 satellites reentered27 satellites launched35 satellites launched4 satellites reentered2 satellites reentered5 satellites reentered32 satellites launched7 satellites reentered2 satellites launched2 debris fragments reentered58 satellites launched4 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered11 satellites launched1 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered3 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered24 satellites launched2 satellites reentered2 satellites reentered2 satellites launched2 satellites reentered4 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered24 satellites launched4 satellites reentered2 debris fragments reentered3 satellites launched2 debris fragments reentered5 satellites reentered24 satellites launched3 satellites reentered2 debris fragments reentered1 satellites launched6 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered4 satellites reentered2 debris fragments reentered2 satellites launched5 satellites reentered53 satellites launched7 satellites reentered3 debris fragments reentered2 satellites launched3 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered19 satellites launched3 satellites reentered50 satellites launched3 satellites reentered2 debris fragments reentered4 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered77 satellites launched5 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 satellites reentered2 debris fragments reentered29 satellites launched1 satellites reentered2 satellites launched1 debris fragments created1 satellites reentered3 debris fragments reentered24 satellites launched4 satellites reentered1 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered2 satellites reentered57 satellites launched4 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered21 satellites launched5 satellites reentered3 satellites launched2 satellites reentered2 debris fragments reentered17 satellites launched5 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered3 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered28 satellites launched2 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered10 satellites launched1 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered7 satellites launched2 satellites reentered2 debris fragments reentered2 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered24 satellites launched2 debris fragments reentered2 satellites reentered4 satellites reentered2 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered2 satellites launched2 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered3 satellites launched1 debris fragments created1 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered24 satellites launched4 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 satellites reentered3 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered34 satellites launched4 satellites launched1 satellites reentered2 debris fragments reentered3 satellites launched4 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered4 satellites reentered24 satellites launched3 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered2 satellites reentered2 satellites launched3 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered29 satellites launched3 satellites reentered24 satellites launched1 satellites reentered1 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered2 satellites reentered1 satellites reentered2 debris fragments reentered41 satellites launched2 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered2 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 satellites launched2 satellites reentered24 satellites launched4 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered3 satellites launched4 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered29 satellites launched2 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered27 satellites launched4 satellites reentered2 debris fragments reentered1 satellites reentered2 satellites launched2 satellites reentered37 satellites launched5 satellites reentered27 satellites launched2 satellites reentered2 debris fragments reentered2 satellites launched1 satellites reentered1 satellites reentered2 debris fragments reentered1 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered6 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered3 satellites reentered4 satellites reentered30 satellites launched4 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered2 satellites launched2 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 satellites reentered6 satellites launched2 satellites reentered27 satellites launched4 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered3 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered3 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered7 satellites launched2 satellites reentered3 satellites launched1 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered2 satellites reentered2 satellites reenteredentering orbitreentering
Up close, launches arrive in batches: a tall bar is a constellation deployment. Below the line, satellites and debris reenter almost every day as the atmosphere quietly clears the lowest orbits.Source: CelesTrak SATCAT.
The last 7 days
Objects entering and leaving orbit each day since 2026-09-08, split into satellites and debris.
5105Sep 8Sep 9Sep 10Sep 11Sep 12Sep 13Sep 143 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered7 satellites launched2 satellites reentered3 satellites launched1 satellites reentered1 debris fragments reentered2 satellites reentered2 satellites reenteredentering orbitreentering
This week at a glance. The most recent day or two can read low while the catalog catches up on the latest launches and reentries.Source: CelesTrak SATCAT.

Orbit classes today

The four orbit classes as they stand today, ranked by how many objects are still up there.

Orbit classShare in orbitIn orbitTracked
LEO (< 2,000 km)
18,70030,113
GEO (geosynchronous)
1,7081,708
Highly elliptical
9921,227
MEO
642734

Debris created and cleared

Tracked debris is the fragments too small to be payloads or rocket bodies but big enough to follow from the ground. The good news is in the shape of it: two thirds of everything ever created has already burned up, and modern operators passivate and deorbit to keep it that way.

Tracked debris fragments reentering per year
Fragments removed from the catalog by reentry, by calendar year.
01k2k3k1965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025fragments reentered1961: 221962: 591963: 251964: 351965: 1661966: 2361967: 1471968: 1271969: 1601970: 1271971: 1851972: 2271973: 2961974: 2111975: 2601976: 2541977: 3241978: 3401979: 4291980: 3601981: 4431982: 3721983: 3131984: 3831985: 2881986: 3871987: 4791988: 7571989: 8601990: 3781991: 4081992: 2151993: 1311994: 901995: 831996: 1631997: 3341998: 3001999: 3232000: 2702001: 2812002: 3962003: 2332004: 1272005: 1472006: 2202007: 1382008: 6882009: 2422010: 3202011: 4202012: 3932013: 3742014: 5462015: 3652016: 1602017: 1142018: 1072019: 1922020: 2662021: 3162022: 2,0552023: 1,3102024: 9882025: 6612026: 244
Of 34,622 debris fragments ever tracked, 22,277 have already reentered and burned up. Reentries surge when the Sun is active and the upper atmosphere expands.Source: CelesTrak SATCAT reentry dates.
Debris only, the last 120 days
Tracked debris created (up) versus debris reentering (down) each day since 2026-05-18.
5105JunJulAugSep1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered2 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered2 debris fragments reentered3 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered7 debris fragments created2 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered2 debris fragments reentered2 debris fragments reentered2 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered2 debris fragments reentered3 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered2 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered2 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments created3 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered2 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered2 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered2 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments created1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered2 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered2 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered2 debris fragments reentered2 debris fragments reentered2 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reentered1 debris fragments reenteredcreatedreentering
Zoomed to debris alone, the daily balance tilts the good way: fragments reenter and burn up on most days, while new debris appears only occasionally (a tall bar is a single breakup entering the catalog). Over the whole record, 64% of all tracked debris has already come back down.Source: CelesTrak SATCAT.

Debris does not appear on a smooth yearly curve the way launches do: the public catalog records each fragment under its parent's launch date, not the day it broke apart. So the clouds are best read as events. These are the largest on record, with their documented breakup dates:

EventCauseDateAltitudeFragmentsStill up
Fengyun-1CAnti-satellite test2007-01-11863 km3,5302,313
Cosmos 1408Anti-satellite test2021-11-15480 km1,8064
Cosmos 2251Collision2009-02-10789 km1,714614
CZ-6A upper stage (2022)Explosion2022-11-12800 km800618
Pegasus HAPS stageExplosion1996-06-03625 km75356
CZ-6A upper stage (2024)Explosion2024-08-06810 km705576
Iridium 33Collision2009-02-10789 km656117
Cosmos 2421Anomalous breakup2008-03-14410 km5080
Ariane 1 third stageExplosion1986-11-13805 km49622
Cosmos 1275Anomalous breakup1981-07-24980 km478401

Want the full story of where debris collects and why it clears? Read the space-debris explainer.

See the debris field in 3DLoads the tracked debris layer in the atlas and filters to fragments only. The four big clouds appear on their documented breakup dates as you scrub the timeline.

What the satellites are for

Every payload in orbit, grouped by the job GCAT records for it. One number explains the shape of the table: the broadband constellations have made communications 76% of everything working up there. Rocket bodies and debris carry no purpose, so this counts payloads only; the newest launches appear as not yet classified until GCAT catches up.

PurposeShare of payloads in orbitShareIn orbit
Communications
75.6%14,963
Optical imaging
5.2%1,030
Not yet classified
4.5%898
Technology demonstration
3.2%641
Navigation
3.2%631
Signals intelligence
2.3%459
Meteorology
1.4%275
Radar imaging
1.0%203
Space science
1.0%196
Early warning
0.9%172
Everything else
1.7%332

Who is in orbit

Operators ranked by how many of their objects are in orbit today. Links open the filtered catalog.

Country / operatorShare in orbitIn orbit
US (United States)
14,256
CIS (Russia / CIS)
2,711
PRC (China)
1,841
UK (Europe)
724
FR (Europe)
284
JPN (Japan)
265
IND (India)
159
TBD (Other / intl)
148
ESA (Europe)
105
ITSO (Other / intl)
100