Starlink now has more than 10,000 active satellites in orbit, according to Orbital Radar data published this week. The figure makes SpaceX’s network the largest satellite constellation ever flown, in a sky that now holds nearly 16,000 working satellites.
Starlink satellites in orbit: the latest numbers
Orbital Radar’s weekly roundup, based on data from 18 to 21 October 2026, gives a snapshot of how crowded low Earth orbit has become.
- 31,796 catalogued objects are tracked in orbit.
- 15,874 satellites are active.
- 10,081 of them are Starlink satellites, including 7,606 V2 Mini models.
- 10 people are currently in space.
- 18 re-entries are predicted and 15 close approaches are being monitored.
SpaceX first passed 10,000 Starlink satellites launched in October 2025, and reports of 10,000 working at the same time followed in March 2026, so the network has kept growing since.
What else is happening in space this week
No new launches were recorded in the week to 19 October. Blue Origin announced plans to expand its Florida launch facilities to raise the flight rate of its New Glenn rocket, and SpaceX is working toward milestones for Starship Flights 15 and 16. NASA is still analysing the Artemis II heat shield after splashdown, and Japan’s MMX mission is preparing to head to Mars’s moon Phobos to bring back soil samples.
Space weather was calm, with solar wind at 424 km/s and a Kp index of 0.
Why satellite numbers matter for stargazers
More satellites mean more moving lights in the night sky, and more objects for operators to track. If you are watching the Moon pass the Pleiades this week, you may spot a few bright satellites crossing the view. See our guide to the Hunter’s Moon and Pleiades skywatching, and our report on Google Cloud adding OpenAI models for more technology news.
Sources: Orbital Radar, Scientific American, Spaceflight Now
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