Constellations Compared
Every major satellite constellation side by side — live counts from the public catalogue.
As of 10 August 2026, SpaceX’s 10,761 Starlink satellites make it by far the largest constellation in orbit — ahead of Amazon Leo (391), OneWeb (651), Qianfan (238), Guowang (172) and AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird (15). Counts update daily from the public catalogue.
RELATIVE SIZE IN ORBIT
Bars are scaled to the largest constellation and redrawn from the live counts.
SIDE BY SIDE
| Constellation | In orbit now | Planned | Altitude | Inclination | Operator country | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| StarlinkSpaceX | 10,761 | 42,000 (Gen2 filing) | 550 km | 53° | United States | In service since 2020 |
| Amazon LeoAmazon | 391 | 3,236 | 590–630 km | 33–51.9° | United States | Beta service |
| OneWebEutelsat OneWeb | 651 | 648 (Gen1 complete) | 1,200 km | 87.9° polar | UK / France | In service |
| QianfanSSST (Thousand Sails) | 238 | 15,000 by 2030 | 800 km | Multiple planes | China | Deploying |
| GuowangChina SatNet | 172 | 13,000 | Multiple shells | Multiple planes | China | Early deployment |
| BlueBirdAST SpaceMobile | 15 | 248 authorised | 520 km | Direct-to-cell | United States | Service from H1 2027 |
“In orbit now” counts catalogued objects in each constellation’s tracking group, including satellites still raising orbit and some awaiting deorbit, so it runs slightly above the number in active service. Planned totals are the operator’s filed or authorised figures, not commitments.
HOW THEY DIFFER
The six systems are not competing for the same job. Starlink and Amazon Leo are consumer broadband at low altitude, where a dense shell is needed to keep a satellite always overhead. OneWeb sits three times higher in polar orbit, so far fewer satellites cover the globe — at the cost of higher latency — and it sells wholesale to enterprise and aviation rather than to households. Qianfan and Guowang are China’s two answers to Starlink, one commercial and one state-backed. BlueBird is the outlier: it talks straight to an ordinary phone, which is why its satellites carry arrays hundreds of times larger than a Starlink.
Deeper detail on each: Starlink · Amazon Leo · OneWeb · Qianfan · Guowang · BlueBird · State of Orbit