Sun-Synchronous Orbit
State of play
The imaging band: consistent lighting on every pass, and a crowded set of planes.
Last reviewed
Indicators
Payloads on orbit20.5Kobjects · 2026
Catalogued debris12.5Kobjects · 2026
Rocket bodies2.4Kobjects · 2026
Source: CelesTrak · retrieved 15 Nov 2026 · No redistribution restriction found (usage-policy.php governs rate limits only)
On-orbit objects by class, reconstructed from launch and decay dates
- Payloads
- Debris
- Rocket bodies
View as table
| Date | Payloads (objects) | Debris (objects) | Rocket bodies (objects) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1957-12-31 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1958-12-31 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 1959-12-31 | 12.0 | 7 | 4 |
| 1960-12-31 | 23.0 | 21.0 | 11.0 |
| 1961-12-31 | 39.0 | 361.0 | 14.0 |
| 1962-12-31 | 64.0 | 382.0 | 35.0 |
| 1963-12-31 | 93.0 | 596.0 | 46.0 |
| 1964-12-31 | 143.0 | 700.0 | 69.0 |
| 1965-12-31 | 228.0 | 1,748 | 111.0 |
| 1966-12-31 | 274.0 | 1,948 | 150.0 |
| 1967-12-31 | 338.0 | 1,976 | 189.0 |
| 1968-12-31 | 378.0 | 2,294 | 222.0 |
| 1969-12-31 | 419.0 | 2,534 | 250.0 |
| 1970-12-31 | 464.0 | 3,080 | 283.0 |
| 1971-12-31 | 545.0 | 3,256 | 333.0 |
| 1972-12-31 | 610.0 | 3,439 | 379.0 |
| 1973-12-31 | 680.0 | 3,664 | 418.0 |
| 1974-12-31 | 739.0 | 3,909 | 463.0 |
| 1975-12-31 | 825.0 | 4,468 | 529.0 |
| 1976-12-31 | 915.0 | 4,914 | 591.0 |
| 1977-12-31 | 989.0 | 5,206 | 651.0 |
| 1978-12-31 | 1,067 | 5,335 | 700.0 |
| 1979-12-31 | 1,097 | 5,519 | 724.0 |
| 1980-12-31 | 1,134 | 5,531 | 745.0 |
| 1981-12-31 | 1,212 | 5,964 | 787.0 |
| 1982-12-31 | 1,283 | 8,037 | 829.0 |
| 1983-12-31 | 1,369 | 8,272 | 894.0 |
| 1984-12-31 | 1,474 | 8,284 | 969.0 |
| 1985-12-31 | 1,570 | 8,444 | 1,055 |
| 1986-12-31 | 1,653 | 9,153 | 1,093 |
| 1987-12-31 | 1,735 | 9,551 | 1,148 |
| 1988-12-31 | 1,803 | 9,328 | 1,192 |
| 1989-12-31 | 1,857 | 9,126 | 1,229 |
| 1990-12-31 | 1,961 | 9,101 | 1,291 |
| 1991-12-31 | 2,038 | 9,250 | 1,324 |
| 1992-12-31 | 2,098 | 9,524 | 1,385 |
| 1993-12-31 | 2,160 | 11,358 | 1,436 |
| 1994-12-31 | 2,249 | 12,329 | 1,498 |
| 1995-12-31 | 2,312 | 12,588 | 1,541 |
| 1996-12-31 | 2,382 | 12,486 | 1,581 |
| 1997-12-31 | 2,504 | 12,921 | 1,629 |
| 1998-12-31 | 3,053 | 12,870 | 1,645 |
| 1999-12-31 | 3,149 | 16,621 | 1,660 |
| 2000-12-31 | 3,232 | 16,856 | 1,669 |
| 2001-12-31 | 3,268 | 17,002 | 1,657 |
| 2002-12-31 | 3,319 | 16,839 | 1,655 |
| 2003-12-31 | 3,383 | 16,686 | 1,683 |
| 2004-12-31 | 3,435 | 16,630 | 1,703 |
| 2005-12-31 | 3,485 | 16,546 | 1,718 |
| 2006-12-31 | 3,555 | 17,333 | 1,750 |
| 2007-12-31 | 3,641 | 17,372 | 1,786 |
| 2008-12-31 | 3,722 | 16,926 | 1,821 |
| 2009-12-31 | 3,820 | 16,872 | 1,858 |
| 2010-12-31 | 3,904 | 16,774 | 1,901 |
| 2011-12-31 | 3,992 | 16,820 | 1,927 |
| 2012-12-31 | 4,081 | 16,702 | 1,954 |
| 2013-12-31 | 4,245 | 16,486 | 1,982 |
| 2014-12-31 | 4,349 | 16,211 | 2,012 |
| 2015-12-31 | 4,445 | 15,929 | 2,052 |
| 2016-12-31 | 4,552 | 15,872 | 2,087 |
| 2017-12-31 | 4,886 | 15,821 | 2,123 |
| 2018-12-31 | 5,186 | 16,144 | 2,191 |
| 2019-12-31 | 5,557 | 16,191 | 2,221 |
| 2020-12-31 | 6,677 | 16,054 | 2,244 |
| 2021-12-31 | 8,290 | 15,849 | 2,277 |
| 2022-12-31 | 10,322 | 14,798 | 2,324 |
| 2023-12-31 | 12,523 | 13,626 | 2,352 |
| 2024-12-31 | 14,241 | 13,374 | 2,366 |
| 2025-12-31 | 17,625 | 12,733 | 2,406 |
| 2026-12-31 | 20,517 | 12,541 | 2,438 |
Source: CelesTrak · retrieved 15 Nov 2026 · No redistribution restriction found (usage-policy.php governs rate limits only)
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The catalogued population, split by object class
Payloads, spent rocket bodies and debris on orbit since 1957, reconstructed from launch and decay dates.
Astrostrategy · Aug 13, 2026