Satellite constellation
A satellite constellation is a group of satellites working together as one system to give continuous or global coverage that a single satellite cannot.
Starlink, OneWeb and the GPS/Galileo navigation fleets are constellations, with satellites spread across several orbital planes so at least one is always in view.
Large low-orbit constellations can number thousands of satellites, which is why they dominate today's launch traffic.
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Related terms
- GNSS — GNSS is the umbrella term for the satellite constellations that provide positioning, navigation and timing — GPS, Galileo, GLONASS and BeiDou.
- LEO — Low Earth orbit (LEO) is the region of space from about 160 to 2,000 km above Earth's surface, where satellites circle the planet in roughly 90 minutes.
- Kessler syndrome — Kessler syndrome is a scenario in which collisions between orbiting objects create debris that triggers more collisions, cascading until parts of low Earth orbit become hazardous to use.
