SpaceX · USA · Broadband Internet + Direct-to-Cell
Starlink is SpaceX's low-Earth-orbit broadband constellation — the largest array of satellites ever built. Launched in batches aboard Falcon 9 (and increasingly Starship), it delivers low-latency internet to more than 4 million subscribers across 100+ countries, with newer V2 Mini satellites adding Direct-to-Cell service to ordinary smartphones. Inter-satellite laser links let the network route traffic over oceans and poles without ground stations.
14.8% of the planned constellation deployed
Real-time sub-point of a representative Starlink satellite, propagated from current CelesTrak orbital elements.
Acquiring current orbital elements…
As of early 2026, SpaceX has roughly 6,200 operational Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit — more than half of all active satellites around Earth. The constellation is licensed to grow to as many as 42,000 satellites.
Starlink delivers latency of about 25–60 ms — comparable to wired broadband — because its satellites orbit at just 540–570 km. User terminals cost roughly $299–$599 depending on the plan and region.
Yes — newer Starlink V2 Mini satellites carry Direct-to-Cell payloads that let unmodified smartphones send texts and, increasingly, data without a dish, by treating the satellite as a cell tower in space.
Data sourced from UCS Satellite Database, ESA Space Debris Office, Space-Track.org, ITU filings, and company disclosures. Live positions propagated from CelesTrak TLEs. © SpaceOdysseyHub.