Commercial satellites - statistics and facts
Satellites, specifically artificial satellites, are objects intentionally placed into orbit for several applications. Commonly, the satellites orbit our planet as platforms for Earth surface observation with military and civilian applications, communications, navigation, weather observation, and as telescopes for space observation. Many of these satellites are placed in Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO), geostationary orbit (GEO), medium Earth orbit (MEO), and low Earth orbit (LEO) based on their distance from the Earth and their application. These satellites either work as a standalone platform or as a part of a larger constellation – such as the GPS (global positioning system) for navigation systems or the more recent Starlink constellation for providing broadband internet connection from space.
