Talk:Satellite

Remove Kenya 1st satellite entry. Incorrectly listed as Scout B S175C in 1970.

Please see Talk:Timeline_of_first_artificial_satellites_by_country for full motivation. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Arnobarnard (talk • contribs) 08:07, 9 November 2018 (UTC)

Operational Satellites

A credible web site says there are about 2,666 operational satellites orbiting Earth. This article says 1,900. Who's right? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.163.124.210 (talk) 19:07, 31 July 2020 (UTC)

Statistics

Payloads (satellites, dispensers, capsules) launched by year

Payloads by year

Year	Payloads
2020	1,261
2019	522
2018	570
2017	444
2016	222
2015	236
2014	258
2013	207
2012	132
2011	131
2010	122
2009	129
2008	108
2007	117
2006	98
2005	75
2004	72
2003	90
2002	96
2001	92
2000	123
1999	130
1998	163
1997	158
1996	104
1995	107
1994	127
1993	112
1992	132
1991	141
1990	168
1989	137
1988	143
1987	138
1986	135
1985	167
1984	166
1983	161
1982	144
1981	158
1980	130
1979	123
1978	164
1977	137
1976	158
1975	154
1974	126
1973	136
1972	129
1971	153
1970	131
1969	136
1968	139
1967	156
1966	141
1965	160
1964	107
1963	74
1962	79
1961	39
1960	20
1959	14
1958	8
1957	2
1956	0

Payloads in orbit by year end

Year	Active satellites	Inactive satellites	Rocket bodies
2020	3,368	2,987	1,891
2019	2,298	2,899	1,872
2018	2,043	2,782	1,844
2017	1,787	2,720	1,783
2016	1,465	2,647	1,752
2015	1,363	2,598	1,719
2014	1,260	2,557	1,682

Sources:

• https://planet4589.org/space/papers/space20.pdf
• https://planet4589.org/space/stats/stat003.txt

See also - https://planet4589.org/space/stats/figs/satannual.jpg — Preceding unsigned comment added by Barecode (talk • contribs) 22:54, 22 January 2021 (UTC)

Largest amount of satellites launched on a single rocket:

• 143 satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket, 24 January 2021 - mission Transporter-1
• 108 satellites on a Antares 230 rocket, on 17 November 2018 - mission Cygnus NG-10
• 104 satellites on a PSLV rocket, on 15 February 2017 - mission PSLV-C37
• 37 satellites on a Dnepr rocket, 19 June 2014
• 33 satellites on a Antares 120 rocket, 9 January 2014 - mission Cygnus CRS Orb-1
• 32 satellites on a Dnepr rocket, 21 November 2013
• 31 satellites on a Minotaur I rocket, 20 November 2013
• 14 satellites on a Dnepr rocket, 17 April 2007
• 10 satellites on a Space Shuttle rocket, 3 February 1994, mission STS-60
• 6 satellites on a Thorad-SLV2G-Agena-D, 30 september 1969
• 9 satellites on a Thor SLV-2 Agena D, 31 May 1967
• 8 satellites on a Thor SLV-2 Agena D, 9 March 1965
• 5 satellites on a Thor Ablestar, 24 January 1962
• 3 satellites on a Thor Ablestar, 29 June 1961
• 2 satellites on a Thor Ablestar, 22 June 1960

Honorable mentions:

• Long March 8 - 22 satellites, 27 February 2022

Failed deployments:

• 110 satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket, on 18 April 2014, mission SpaceX CRS-3 - 6 cubesats, one of them containing 104 chipsats which failed to deploy
• 18 satellites on a Dnepr rocket, 26 July 2006

Largest number of identical satellites launched:

• 103 Chipsat satellites on a Antares 230 rocket, on 17 November 2018 - mission Cygnus NG-10 - satellites deployed from a KickSat on 18 March 2019
• 88 Planet Lab satellites on a PSLV rocket, on 15 February 2017 - mission PSLV-C37
• 60 Starlink satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket in 24 May 2019
• 12 Orbcomm satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket in 22 December 2015

Max and min satellites launched in a single year:

• 2020 - 1,261
• 2018 - 570
• 2019 - 522

..

• 2001 - 92
• 2005 - 75
• 2004 - 72

Satellites by country

https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/satellite-database 4,550 satellites at Sep 1, 2021

• USA - 2,805
• China - 467
• UK - 349
• Russia - 168
• Japan - 91
• India - 61
• Canada - 57
• Germany - 47
• France - 31

-- Barecode (talk) 02:49, 25 December 2021 (UTC)

Contradiction within the first two sentences

"In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object that has been intentionally placed into orbit. These objects are called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as Earth's Moon."

These two sentences contradict each other, or at least semantically very much not clear what satellite is, only artificially orbited objects are satellites or what. 91.82.182.182 (talk) 22:05, 19 January 2022 (UTC)

"In the context of spaceflight" part removes the contradiction. In the context of spaceflight, the term "satellite" is synonymous with "artificial satellite," and need not have the "artificial" qualifier. --OuroborosCobra (talk) 23:06, 19 January 2022 (UTC)

Then I propose the opening sentence to be a generic definition, not specific use cases. 91.82.182.182 (talk) 13:46, 20 January 2022 (UTC)

OTOH the Satellite disambiguation starts with "A satellite is an artificial object which has been intentionally placed into orbit, such as:" so I don't even know anymore. It's murky, and needs some rewording for sure, but I don't know how. 91.82.182.182 (talk) 13:47, 20 January 2022 (UTC)

Overhaul

CactiStaccingCrane carried out a page overhaul: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Satellite&diff=1100301620&oldid=1098922467 I'm noting this here in case anyone else is trying to fix broken links and redirects or looking for missing content. fgnievinski (talk) 04:56, 14 December 2023 (UTC)

Page should be moved to "Artificial satellite"

Satellite is a general term and does not mean artificial satellite. There are artificial satellites and natural satellites. Lajoswinkler (talk) 20:19, 1 February 2025 (UTC)

"Orbiter" listed at Redirects for discussion

The redirect Orbiter has been listed at redirects for discussion to determine whether its use and function meets the redirect guidelines. Readers of this page are welcome to comment on this redirect at Wikipedia:Redirects for discussion/Log/2025 March 17 § Orbiter until a consensus is reached. Jay 💬 17:29, 17 March 2025 (UTC)

"Satellite jamming" listed at Redirects for discussion

The redirect Satellite jamming has been listed at redirects for discussion to determine whether its use and function meets the redirect guidelines. Readers of this page are welcome to comment on this redirect at Wikipedia:Redirects for discussion/Log/2026 February 20 § Satellite jamming until a consensus is reached. Rotideypoc41352 (talk · contribs) 05:11, 22 February 2026 (UTC)

"Space mirror" (See also)

Please add Space mirror, to section "See also". ~2026-40166-38 (talk) 13:24, 22 July 2026 (UTC)