Mega-Constellations Exposed: How Swarms of Tiny Satellites Are Taking Over Low Earth Orbit
Small satellites made up over 95% of all satellites launched in 2024. SpaceX’s Starlink led with more than 7,000 active satellites, aiming for up to 42,000 with FCC approval for 12,000. The FCC now requires satellites to deorbit within five years of retirement. Amazon’s Kuiper, OneWeb, and Iridium also expanded networks, targeting global coverage with hundreds to thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit.