What Are Starlink Satellites Used For and Why Are There So Many of Them in Orbit?

Over the past few years, you may have heard the term Starlink mentioned multiple times, particularly if you have an interest in internet connectivity, space technology, or international communication. But aside from the hype, many people continue to wonder: What do Starlink satellites do, and how many are orbiting Earth now? Let's dissect the emergence of Starlink, its satellite constellation, and its wider effect on space and the globe.

Image Source: BBC

What Is Starlink and What Do the Satellites Do?

Starlink is a satellite internet service created by Elon Musk's SpaceX, aimed at offering fast broadband internet to the entire world, particularly in remote or underserved areas. In contrast to conventional ISPs based on underground fiber optics or a few giant satellites, Starlink employs a gigantic constellation of tiny Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites to transmit internet to the planet. These satellites are closer to the Earth than geostationary ones, which allows for lower latency and higher speeds a huge step forward in rural connectivity.

This LEO solution enables customers in mountainous regions, remote islands, deserts, or disaster-affected areas to get good internet, which has long been a big challenge. Currently, Starlink guarantees speeds between 100 Mbps and 200 Mbps with the latency of just about 20 milliseconds, which is comparable to many ground-based broadband networks.

How Many Starlink Satellites Are In Orbit?

The size of Starlink's constellation is already huge and expanding quickly. As of June 26, 2025, there are 7,875 Starlink satellites in space, and 7,855 of them are operational, based on counts from well-regarded astronomer Jonathan McDowell, who carefully monitors satellite operations on his website. That is well ahead of any other satellite constellation already in operation and represents a milestone in the commercialization of space-based internet services.

But this is only the tip of the iceberg. SpaceX's ultimate plan is to launch as many as 42,000 satellites, a figure that has the potential to reshape the way we conceptualize internet infrastructure for good.

How Do Starlink Satellites Appear?

On the surface, Starlink satellites may not be all that futuristic. Each one features a flat, rectangular shape that weighs close to 573 pounds (260 kg) in the previous generations. Newer models such as the V2 model now weigh approximately 1,760 pounds (800 kg) almost three times as much according to Spaceflight Now's report. The satellites are crafted to endure and tailored to support greater traffic, provide greater data rates, and incorporate future tech.

Key components of a Starlink satellite include:

Four powerful antennas for internet signal transmission.

• A large solar array for power.

• Inter-satellite lasers, which allow them to communicate with four neighboring satellites for better data routing.

• Ion thrusters powered by krypton gas to maintain or adjust their orbit.

This modular yet efficient design helps in building a highly scalable and robust network.

For How Long Do These Satellites Stay in Orbit?

Starlink satellites are designed with longevity, yet they do not last infinitely. On average, each satellite is intended to have a functional lifespan of approximately five years. When a satellite is approaching its end of service, SpaceX actively directs it into Earth's atmosphere, where it burns up harmlessly, keeping long-term space debris to a minimum. This deorbiting planning is key in ensuring a balanced orbital environment and avoiding overpopulation with dead satellites.

Why Are Astronomers Upset About Starlink?

While Starlink's vision is ambitious, it hasn't been without detractors—particularly astronomers and sky enthusiasts. The issue? Light pollution. The satellites reflect sunlight and travel quickly across the night sky, tending to disrupt telescopic observations. For astronomers taking deep-sky objects or conducting long exposure photography, these bright streaks are nuisance, occasionally even destroying precious astronomical data.

First, SpaceX attempted coating satellites with dark material to minimize reflections. That solution, though, adversely impacted satellite temperature management. Because of this, the company turned to a new tech known as VisorSat, which has a built-in sun visor to reduce sunlight reflection without hurting the performance of the satellite.

While this alleviates some of the concern, the problem still exists and will continue to become more significant as more satellites are installed.

Is Starlink a Real Issue for the Night Sky?

Currently, things are under control. The present population of satellites is inconvenient but hasn't yet hit crisis point. But in the future is where the true concern exists. If SpaceX goes forward with launching 42,000 satellites, and with its competitors such as Amazon's Project Kuiper also planning to send thousands of LEO satellites into space, we might be facing a "satellite swarm" crisis.

Not only would this exacerbate the problem of light pollution, but it also poses concerns regarding space traffic management. With thousands of little, high-speed objects in comparable orbits, collision or accidental debris generation is more probable. Additionally, such congestion may complicate the monitoring and forecasting of orbital trajectories, which could impact space station safety, weather satellites, and even prospective space travel.

Why Such a Large Number of Satellites? What's the Big Demand?

The reason is network resilience and accessibility. Conventional satellite internet providers employ a handful of big satellites orbiting a long way above Earth (geostationary orbit). Although these span a huge area, they entail high latency and weak performance in real-time applications such as video calls or gaming.

Starlink's LEO strategy employs thousands of tiny satellites operating in tandem to form a rich web of coverage. This provides:

• Consistent high-speed internet in rural or distant locations

• Reduced latency for real-time usage

• Quicker routing of data through inter-satellite laser communications

• Scalability for use with future technology, such as direct-to-cell service and disaster communications

So, even if the number of satellites does sound daunting, it's the secret to having global, low-latency, high-bandwidth internet available to all wherever they are located.

The Future of Starlink and Satellite Internet

Starlink is the future of global internet coverage, fusing space technology with practicality. Although issues of light pollution, space junk, and traffic in orbit are legitimate and current, the endeavor has already changed lives. It has brought together remote communities, aided in disaster relief, and introduced the world to an internet no longer bound by wires or cellular towers.

As the constellation expands and technology advances, anticipate finer design, improved collaboration with the astronomical community, and even satellite-to-smartphone communication in the pipeline. Starlink is not just a buzzword for tech it's a revolutionary shift in how we conceptualize internet access in a hyperconnected age.

Stay tuned for more space tech insights, innovations, and the future of internet technology!