<P> In 1957 the Soviet Union launched the world 's first artificial satellite , Sputnik 1 . Since then , about 6,600 satellites from more than 40 countries have been launched . According to a 2013 estimate , 3,600 remained in orbit . Of those , about 1,000 were operational ; while the rest have lived out their useful lives and become space debris . Approximately 500 operational satellites are in low - Earth orbit , 50 are in medium - Earth orbit ( at 20,000 km ) , and the rest are in geostationary orbit ( at 36,000 km ) . A few large satellites have been launched in parts and assembled in orbit . Over a dozen space probes have been placed into orbit around other bodies and become artificial satellites to the Moon , Mercury , Venus , Mars , Jupiter , Saturn , a few asteroids , a comet and the Sun . </P>
<P> In 1957 the Soviet Union launched the world 's first artificial satellite , Sputnik 1 . Since then , about 6,600 satellites from more than 40 countries have been launched . According to a 2013 estimate , 3,600 remained in orbit . Of those , about 1,000 were operational ; while the rest have lived out their useful lives and become space debris . Approximately 500 operational satellites are in low - Earth orbit , 50 are in medium - Earth orbit ( at 20,000 km ) , and the rest are in geostationary orbit ( at 36,000 km ) . A few large satellites have been launched in parts and assembled in orbit . Over a dozen space probes have been placed into orbit around other bodies and become artificial satellites to the Moon , Mercury , Venus , Mars , Jupiter , Saturn , a few asteroids , a comet and the Sun . </P>
who invented the first satellite in the world
who invented the first satellite in the world
the Soviet Union
the Soviet Union