Active satellites by category/operator 2024

The satellite internet provider Starlink operated 6,476 active satellites as of November 2024, accounting for almost half of all active satellites in orbit. The rise of satellite internet constellations has drastically disrupted the broader satellite market, with established players facing pressure from emerging operators.

Starlink leads the satellite internet market

Starlink is owned and operated by SpaceX, the California-based firm founded by Elon Musk. The firm operates by far the largest satellite internet constellation, which consists of small satellites in low earth orbit (LEO). LEO satellites are favored for satellite internet applications as a low altitude allows fast broadband to be provided with minimal latency. However, a large constellation must be deployed to achieve global coverage, with Starlink planning to expand its fleet to up to 42,000 active satellites.  

Eutelsat merges with Starlink competitor OneWeb

Starlink’s closest competitor is the London-based service OneWeb, which had 648 satellites in operation as of November 2024. In September 2023, the long-established French geostationary satellite firm Eutelsat completed a deal to merge with OneWeb, creating Eutelsat OneWeb. The new firm is significant in that it has major operations in both the LEO and geostationary markets and sees a major establishment player mount a direct challenge to Starlink. Eutelsat, which generated 1.21 billion euros in revenue in its 2024 financial year, expected the newly created firm to generate around 2 billion euros by 2027.