10,000 Starlink satellites orbiting Earth and cou...

What’s Happening

Let’s talk about There are now more than 10,000 Starlink satellites in Earth orbit.

Plus, 1 to 2 Starlinks are falling back to Earth a day, adding metals to our atmosphere. The post 10,000 Starlink satellites orbiting Earth … and counting first appeared on EarthSky. (wild, right?)

Science news, solid photos, sky alerts.

The Details

SpaceX shipped its first Starlink satellite into low Earth orbit in 2019. And the pace has been steady ever since.

On , a SpaceX launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California carried 25 more Starlink satellites into space. With the addition of those 25 satellites, there are now more than 10,000 Starlinks orbiting Earth.

Why This Matters

Unsurprisingly, the number continues to rise nearly daily. Also on , SpaceX shipped 29 Starlink satellites from Florida. And two days later, on March 19, another launch of 29 Starlink satellites blasted off from Florida.

Scientists and researchers are watching this development closely.

Key Takeaways

• It can be hard to keep up with the total number of Starlinks in orbit!
• As the numbers climb, you can follow them here.
• So there are 10,000-plus Starlinks rn in Earth orbit.

The Bottom Line

The problem impacts both visual and radio astronomy. And then theres the issue of satellites deorbiting.

What’s your take on this whole situation?