How Many Starlink Satellites Are In Orbit? A Breakdown Of All Starlink Launches

Starlink is an internet service provider (ISP) that relies on a constellation of thousands of satellites to provide connectivity across the globe.

Those satellites are deployed in low-earth orbit (LEO) in distances of around 550 km (340 miles). Starlink eventually aims to operate a constellation of 42,000 satellites to provide all kinds of internet services.

Moreover, its satellites have a shelf life of around 5 to 6 years after which they de-orbit and burn up in earth’s atmosphere upon re-entry. As such, continuous deployment of new satellites is of the essence.

On this page, we track all of Starlink’s launches, their success rate, and what types of satellites were transported.

All Starlink Satellite Launches

I want to preface this section by giving all the credit to the amazing Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer and astrophysicist at the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, who tracks the location of Starlink satellites on his personal blog.

With that being said, here are all the launches Starlink has undergone so far:

No.MissionSat. Gen.COSPAR IDDateDeployedOperational
–Tintinv0.12018-02022-Feb-1820
1v0.9v0.92019-02924-May-19600
2L1v1.02019-07411-Nov-196044
3L2v1.02020-00107-Jan-206041
4L3v1.02020-00629-Jan-206046
5L4v1.02020-01217-Feb-206045
6L5v1.02020-01918-Mar-206050
7L6v1.02020-02522-Apr-206049
8L7v1.02020-03504-Jun-206050
9L8v1.02020-03813-Jun-205840
10L9v1.02020-05507-Aug-205752
11L10v1.02020-05718-Aug-205852
12L11v1.02020-06203-Sep-206049
13L12v1.02020-07006-Oct-206047
14L13v1.02020-07318-Oct-206043
15L14v1.02020-07424-Oct-206039
16L15v1.02020-08825-Nov-206039
17L16v1.02021-00520-Jan-216057
–Tr-1v1.02021-00624-Jan-21100
18L18v1.02021-00904-Feb-216056
19L19v1.02021-01216-Feb-216057
20L17v1.02021-01704-Mar-216053
21L20v1.02021-01809-Mar-216059
22L21v1.02021-02114-Mar-216054
23L22v1.02021-02424-Mar-216043
24L23v1.02021-02707-Apr-216058
25L24v1.02021-03629-Apr-216060
26L25v1.02021-03804-May-216058
27L27v1.02021-04009-May-216057
28L26v1.02021-04115-May-215249
29L28v1.02021-04426-May-216059
–Tr-2v1.52021-05930-Jun-2133
30Group 2-1v1.52021-08214-Sep-215149
31Group 4-1v1.52021-10413-Nov-215352
32Group 4-3v1.52021-11502-Dec-214848
33Group 4-4v1.52021-12518-Dec-215248
34Group 4-5v1.52022-00106-Jan-224948
35Group 4-6v1.52022-00519-Jan-224949
36Group 4-7v1.52022-01003-Feb-224910
37Group 4-8v1.52022-01621-Feb-224645
38Group 4-11v1.52022-01725-Feb-225048
39Group 4-9v1.52022-02203-Mar-224747
40Group 4-10v1.52022-02509-Mar-224844
41Group 4-12v1.52022-02919-Mar-225347
42Group 4-14v1.52022-04121-Apr-225351
43Group 4-16v1.52022-04529-Apr-225351
44Group 4-17v1.52022-04906-May-225353
45Group 4-13v1.52022-05113-May-225352
46Group 4-15v1.52022-05214-May-225353
47Group 4-18v1.52022-05318-May-225353
48Group 4-19v1.52022-06217-Jun-225353
49Group 4-21v1.52022-07607-Jul-225351
50Group 3-1v1.52022-07711-Jul-224646
51Group 4-22v1.52022-08317-Jul-225353
52Group 3-2v1.52022-08422-Jul-224645
53Group 4-25v1.52022-08624-Jul-225349
54Group 4-26v1.52022-09710-Aug-225251
55Group 3-3v1.52022-09912-Aug-224646
56Group 4-27v1.52022-10119-Aug-225353
57Group 4-23v1.52022-10428-Aug-225451
58Group 3-4v1.52022-10531-Aug-224645
59Group 4-20v1.52022-10705-Sep-225145
60Group 4-2v1.52022-11110-Sep-223431
61Group 4-34v1.52022-11418-Sep-225454
62Group 4-35v1.52022-11924-Sep-225247
63Group 4-29v1.52022-12505-Oct-225251
64Group 4-36v1.52022-13620-Oct-225450
65Group 4-31v1.52022-14128-Oct-225346
66Group 4-37v1.52022-17517-Dec-225422
67Group 5-1v1.52022-17728-Dec-225426
68Group 2-4v1.52023-01019-Jan-235150
69Group 5-2v1.52023-01326-Jan-235653
70Group 2-6v1.52023-01431-Jan-234934
71Group 5-3v1.52023-01502-Feb-235351
72Group 5-4v1.52023-02012-Feb-235552
73Group 2-5v1.52023-02117-Feb-235148
74Group 6-1v2.0 mini2023-02627-Feb-23210
75Group 2-7v1.52023-02803-Mar-235151
76Group 2-8v1.52023-03717-Mar-235245
77Group 5-5v1.52023-04224-Mar-235656
78Group 5-10v1.52023-04629-Mar-235655
79Group 6-2v2.0 mini2023-05619-Apr-232119
80Group 3-5v1.52023-05827-April-234646
81Group 5-6v1.52023-06104-May-235655
82Group 2-9v1.52023-06410-May-235137
83Group 5-9v1.52023-06514-May-235655
84Group 6-3v2.0 mini2023-06719-May-232220
85Group 2-10v1.52023-07831-May-235221
86Group 6-4v2.0 mini2023-07904-Jun-23228
87Group 5-11v1.52023-08312-Jun0235251
88Group 5-7v1.52023-08822-Jun-234747
89Group 5-12v1.52023-09023-Jun-235655
90Group 5-13v1.52023-09407-Jul-234846
91Group 6-5v2.0 mini2023-09610-Jul-232220
92Group 5-15v1.52023-09916-Jul-235448
93Group 6-15v2.0 mini2023-10119-Jul-231514
94Group 6-6v2.0 mini2023-10524-Jul-232218
95Group 6-7v2.0 mini2023-10728-Jul-232220
96Group 6-8v2.0 mini2023-11307-Aug-232220
97Group 6-20v2.0 mini2023-11508-Aug-231513
98Group 6-9v2.0 mini2023-12011-Aug-232219
99Group 6-10v2.0 mini2023-12317-Aug-232217
100Group 7-1v2.0 mini2023-12522-Aug-23210
101Group 6-11v2.0 mini2023-12927-Aug-232211
102Group 6-13v2.0 mini2023-13101-Sep-23222
103Group 6-12v2.0 mini2023-13404-Sep-23210
104Group 6-14v2.0 mini2023-13809-Sep-23221
105Group 7-2v2.0 mini2023-14112-Sept-23210
106Group 6-16v2.0 mini2023-14416-Sep-23220
107Group 6-17v2.0 mini2023-14620-Sep-23220
108Group 6-18v2.0 mini2023-14724-Sep-23220
109Group 7-3v2.0 mini2023-14825-Sep-23210
110Group 6-19v2.0 mini2023-15130-Sep-23220
111Group 6-21v2.0 mini2023-15305-Oct-23220
112Group 7-4v2.0 mini2023-15709-Oct-23210
113Group 6-22v2.0 mini2023-15813-Oct-23220
114Group 6-23v2.0 mini2023-16018-Oct-23220
115Group 7-5v2.0 mini2023-16121-Oct-23210
116Group 6-24v2.0 mini2023-16222-Oct-23230
117Group 7-6v2.0 mini2023-16629-Oct-23220
118Group 6-25v2.0 mini2023-16730-Oct-23230
119Group 6-26v2.0 mini2023-17004-Nov-23230
120Group 6-27v2.0 mini2023-17108-Nov-23230
121Group 6-28v2.0 mini2023-17718-Nov-23230
122Group 7-7v2.0 mini2023-17820-Nov-23220
123Group 6-29v2.0 mini2023-17822-Nov-23230
124Group 6-30v2.0 mini2023-18328-Nov-23230
125Group 6-31v2.0 mini2023-18603-Dec-23230
126Group 6-33v2.0 mini2023-19107-Dec-23230
127Group 7-8v2.0 mini2023-19208-Dec-23220
128Group 6-34v2.0 mini2023-20019-Dec-23230
129Group 6-32v2.0 mini2023-20323-Dec-23230
130Group 6-36v2.0 mini2023-21129-Dec-23230
131Group 7-9v2.0 mini2024-00203-Jan-24210
132Group 6-35v2.0 mini2024-00508-Jan-24230
133Group 7-10v2.0 mini2024-01114-Jan-24220
134Group 6-37v2.0 mini2024-01215-Jan-24230
135Group 7-11v2.0 mini2024-01724-Jan-24220
136Group 6-38v2.0 mini2024-01929-Jan-24230
137Group 7-12v2.0 mini2024-02029-Jan-24220
138Group 7-13v2.0 mini2024-02710-Feb-24220
139Group 7-14v2.0 mini2024-03115-Feb-24220
140Group 7-15v2.0 mini2024-03623-Feb-24220
141Group 6-39v2.0 mini2024-03825-Feb-24240
142Group 6-40v2.0 mini2024-04129-Feb-24230
143Group 6-41v2.0 mini2024-04404-Mar-24230
144Group 6-43v2.0 mini2024-04511-Mar-24230
145Group 7-17v2.0 mini2024-04611-Mar-24230

As you can see in the table above, most launches carry around 50 or so Starlink satellites with them. In some cases, like Group 4-2 or Group 2-6, they are transported alongside other payloads – missions commonly referred to as rideshares.

Moreover, since the summer of 2021, SpaceX has solely been transporting v1.5 satellites. One of the key differentiators to older versions is the usage of lasers, which enables satellite-to-satellite communication.

Almost 1.5 years later, in February 2023, Starlink launched the first Gen2 satellites, which are substantially heavier and more potent than its v1.x predecessors. As a result, only about 20 – 23 of them, even being the so-called ‘Mini’ version, can be transported on board of SpaceX’s Falcon rocket.

Furthermore, back on January 3rd, 2024, Starlink launched the first 6 satellites with direct-to-cell capabilities. The direct-to-cell option is set to launch in 2024. You can read more about it here.

Right now, SpaceX is using the mini version of those satellites but expects to deploy an even bigger version once Starship is ready for flying.

How Many Starlink Satellites Are In Orbit?

Currently, there are 5,549 Starlink satellites in orbit. However, ‘only’ 5,488 of them are still working. Those 61 satellites are set to deorbit and renter earth’s atmosphere in the next few weeks and months.

Right now, 4,786 satellites remain operational according to McDowell. Keep in mind that it normally takes Starlink satellites a few weeks until they reach their operational orbit of around 550km altitude, hence why the newer entries still show 0 under the ‘Operational’ tab.

This is also the reason why some people end up seeing so-called satellite trains, which are a group of Starlink satellites that roam earth at an altitude of around 400km (~248 miles) until they reach their designated level.

Each of the v1.5’s is able to provide 20 GBps of bandwidth while V2 Mini’s boast 80 GBps each.

How Many Satellites Has Starlink Launched?

Starlink has launched a total of 5,988 satellites. Amazingly, all of SpaceX’s 145 launches carrying Starlink satellites have been successful so far. Those include both dedicated missions as well as rideshares.

As you can see in the table above, SpaceX has also ramped up its launch cadence for Starlink. Over 75 percent of all satellites in orbit were launched in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

How Many Starlink Satellites Have Failed?

A total of 454 satellites have failed throughout Starlink’s launch history. Here’s the detailed breakdown according to McDowell:

  • Early Deorbit: 103
  • Disposal Complete: 208
  • Reentry After Fail: 44
  • Failed, Decaying: 35

Another 2 are currently being screened and may end deorbiting as well.

Starlink satellites can fail for a variety of different reasons, ranging from geomagnetic storms to simple malfunctioning.

All things Starlink, SpaceX, and tech.

As an independent source of information, our aim is to assist users of the SpaceX Starlink satellite internet service. We are not connected with either SpaceX or Starlink in any official capacity. Our focus is on providing useful tips and tutorials for those interested in learning about Starlink.

Contact Us

© 2024 Starlink Insider

Privacy Policy Terms of Service