From mapping the planet in minute detail to simply making sure a smartphone user doesn’t get lost, satellites do a little bit of everything. And they work better in groups. These four satellite constellations each perform a synchronized function without which your life wouldn’t be—or soon won’t be—the same. Internet access: Starlink Starlink is one of several projects aiming to create low-cost, high-speed global satellite internet that can compete with terrestrial networks while connecting far-flung rural communities. The satellites will be deployed at three different altitudes within low Earth orbit. At a little over 200 kilograms apiece, they’re relatively small as satellites go, but each batch of 60 offers up to 1 terabit per second of bandwidth, enough to stream 4K video to about 40,000 people simultaneously. Weather monitoring: GOES-R Weather forecasting isn’t just an addendum to the evening news: better predictions of severe weather can save thousands of lives. New machines sitting over the equator in geostationary orbit are pushing forecasts to the next level. In 2016, the GOES-R satellite program started monitoring clouds and water vapor using reflected solar radiation. This is different from ground-based radar methods, which send signals into the sky and analyze the returns. Two GOES (for “geostationary operational environmental satellite”) satellites have launched so far. Using onboard instruments like the Geostationary Lightning Mapper and the Advanced Baseline Imager, which collects images in 16 channels of visible, near-infrared, and infrared light, the satellites have already improved forecast lead times. The next satellite in the series, GOES-T, has had some setbacks, but all four GOES satellites are expected to be up and running by 2024. Earth observation: Dove While many constellations of small satellites are in the works, startup Planet Labs has one already up and running. Manufactured in house, Planet’s Dove satellites image the entire planet every day. The Doves, which have a life span of two to three years, are cubesats—small, boxy satellites weighing a few kilograms each that can be packed into a rocket and launched in batches. In 2017, the company set a record for the largest one-time deployment when it sent 88 Doves into orbit. Each Dove can take two high-resolution pictures of Earth’s surface per second, compiled into a continuously updated, searchable archive. Many of Planet Labs’ clients already rely on the images for tasks such as monitoring crop growth and health, providing military intelligence, and detecting illegal deforestation. Positioning: GPS III GPS has been around since the 1970s in military applications. But in 2000, Bill Clinton authorized an end to “selective availability,” handing civilians access to more powerful GPS signals. Now it helps do everything from guiding tractors in fields to locating your nearest coffee shop. The GPS III satellites are the newest and best version: Lockheed Martin claims they are three times more accurate, and more resistant to malicious or accidental jamming. They can also collaborate with other positioning satellites to help give users better reception inside buildings and under tree cover. After years of delays, only one GPS III satellite has launched so far. To complete the “A block” of the constellation, nine more are scheduled to launch by 2023.
The number of satellites overhead could rise by at least half over the next decade , according to projections . While there are currently around 2,000 satellites orbiting Earth , there is expected to be a rapid expansion in the number of launches over the next few decades . SpaceX 's Discovery project aims to launch 12,000 devices into orbit by 2027 , while a number of other large - scale schemes are also expected to contribute to the growth .