Information last updated on 31 July 2026
- Number of rocket launches since the start of the space age in 1957
- About 7320 (excluding failures)
- Number of satellites these rocket launches have placed into Earth orbit
- About 27490
- Number of these still in space
- About 18840
- Number of these still functioning
- About 16000
-
Number of space objects regularly tracked by Space Surveillance Networks and
maintained in their catalogue
- About 46420
-
Estimated number of break-ups, explosions, collisions, or anomalous events
resulting in fragmentation
- More than 660
- Total mass of all space objects in Earth orbit
- More than 17000 tonnes
-
Not all objects are tracked and catalogued. The number of objects
estimated based on statistical models to be in orbit
(MASTER-8, reference population 08/2024)
-
54000 space objects greater than 10 cm (including approx. 9300 active payloads)
1.2 million space debris objects from greater than 1 cm to 10 cm
140 million space debris objects from greater than 1 mm to 1 cm