There are now over 14,900 satellites circling Earth—more than ever before. But the sky isn’t evenly shared.

The United States dominates orbit with an estimated 8,000+ satellites, followed by Russia (~1,500) and China (~800+). The surge is driven not just by governments, but by companies: over 90% of U.S. satellites are commercial, with SpaceX’s Starlink alone accounting for more than 7,700 satellites.

What are they doing up there?

• Providing global internet coverage

• Powering navigation systems like GPS and BeiDou

• Monitoring climate, agriculture, and disasters

• Supporting communications and broadcasting

• Conducting military and surveillance operations

But all this activity has created a problem: space debris. Broken satellites, spent rocket stages, and fragments now clutter Earth’s orbit, threatening active systems and astronauts alike.

Efforts are underway to change that.

Companies and space agencies are developing satellite removal missions, harpoon catchers, orbital tow trucks, and even lasers to deorbit debris. In some cases, satellites are now designed to self-destruct or burn up safely when their missions end.

The race for space is no longer just about getting up there—it's about managing the traffic and cleaning up the mess.