By The Register
Published on May 01, 2024
The space above the Earth is getting increasingly crowded as launches become more frequent and satellites are squeezed closer together.
Space insurers paid out a record $995 million in claims during 2023, according to a report from Slingshot Aerospace. This surge in orbital launches and satellite deployments was driven largely by SpaceX’s Starlink.
According to the report, 12,597 spacecraft were in orbit as of December 31, 2023, including 3,356 inactive satellites. 2,877 satellites were deployed in 2023, a 14.6 percent increase from the previous year, and there were 223 orbital launches.
Unsurprisingly, communication satellites dominated, accounting for 2,285 satellites deployed in 2023 and 79 percent of all deployed spacecraft.