Which Organizations Have the Most Satellites in Space?
Organizations have been sending satellites into orbit around the Earth for decades. The very first satellite was Sputnik 1, launched into space by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957. Its success launched the 20th century Space Race between the Soviet Union and the United States.
In the years since then, thousands of satellites have been sent into space. From government organizations like NASA to private companies like SpaceX, there are a wide variety of institutions that are responsible for creating and launching satellites for different purposes.
Just how many satellites are in orbit, and who owns them? The team at Dewesoft created a graphic visualizing all of the satellites orbiting Earth as well as what companies and countries are responsible for them.
The company that owns the most satellites in orbit is SpaceX. Their revolutionary endeavor Starlink aims to launch satellites in order to provide high-speed internet to the majority of people on the planet.
As SpaceX is headquartered in the United States, it helps make it the country with the most satellites in the world. Planet Labs Inc., which is third on the list, is also based in the U.S.
Which country or company on the list was most surprising to you?
