The Starlink constellation: how many satellites are there?
Starlink is SpaceX's satellite-internet mega-constellation — already the largest fleet of spacecraft ever flown, with more than 7,000 active satellites circling Earth around 550 km up and tens of thousands more approved. This page explains how big Starlink is and how the constellation is put together; to watch it move in real time, open the live Starlink tracker.
The satellites are arranged in a set of orbital 'shells' at different altitudes and inclinations — a busy 53° shell does most of the work, joined by near-polar shells for global coverage. Right after each launch a fresh batch flies in a tight line as the famous Starlink train before dispersing into its shell.
Open the live map → Search “Starlink” in Cosmik to see the whole constellation, or open the live Starlink tracker for pass times over you.
Want to see Starlink over you? The live Starlink trackeris our full answer page — pass times for your location, the post-launch train, and every "when / how / what does it look like" question, all with live data. This page covers how the constellation is built.
Starlink at a glance
- Operator: SpaceX
- Satellites in orbit: 7,000+ active (largest constellation in history)
- Orbital shells: Several — a main 53° shell plus near-polar shells
- Typical altitude: ~550 km (low Earth orbit)
- Orbital period: ~95 minutes
- First launch: May 2019, from Cape Canaveral
Can you see Starlink with the naked eye?
Yes — most easily as a train. In the first days after a launch the satellites are low, bright and bunched together, easily naked-eye shortly after sunset or before sunrise. Once they raise into their shells and spread out they fade to the edge of naked-eye visibility. For live pass times over your location, use the Cosmik Starlink tracker.
Frequently asked questions
How many Starlink satellites are there?
SpaceX has launched over 8,000 Starlink satellites since 2019, with roughly 7,000 currently active in low Earth orbit — by far the largest satellite constellation ever built, and still growing by about two launches a week. See the live count and shell breakdown on the how-many-Starlink-satellites page.
How does the Starlink constellation work?
The satellites orbit in shells at different altitudes and inclinations near 550 km, each shell tilted to blanket a band of latitudes. Together the shells give near-global coverage, with satellites handing your connection off to the next one as they pass overhead every few minutes.
Why do Starlink satellites look like a line of lights?
Right after launch a batch flies close together in a straight line — the Starlink train — reflecting sunlight like a string of moving stars before they spread out. A single satellite looks like a faint star gliding steadily across the sky, with no blinking, unlike aircraft.
Related satellites
- Hubble Space Telescope — orbit, facts & visible passes
- Tiangong tracker — see China's space station live
- GPS Satellite Tracker — the constellation live in 3D
- NOAA & GOES weather satellite tracker — live in 3D
- HADES-SA (SO-127) — tiny ham-radio satellite tracker
- Iridium satellite tracker — live constellation map
Track more satellites
The ISS · Hubble Space Telescope · Tiangong space station · GPS satellites · NOAA weather satellites · HADES-SA (SO-127) · Iridium satellites · all 20,000+ objects — see how many satellites are in orbit, track Starlink, or check upcoming rocket launches.
