Post by Statista

The race to build global satellite internet networks is entering a new phase. On April 27, 2026, United Launch Alliance launched 29 satellites for Amazon’s Project Kuiper, marking the start of its full-scale deployment and intensifying competition with SpaceX’s Starlink. Starlink remains the dominant player, with over 10,300 satellites in orbit as of April 2026 and plans to expand further. The network already provides broadband in more than 100 countries. Amazon’s Project Kuiper is now moving into deployment, with 239 satellites launched and a planned constellation of 3,236. China is emerging as a key challenger, with multiple large-scale constellations underway. The Qianfan project has deployed over 100 satellites and aims for around 15,000, while the Xingwang constellation has nearly 200 satellites in orbit and plans for about 13,000. In Europe, Eutelsat’s OneWeb is the only operational alternative of scale, with around 650 satellites and a focus on enterprise and government services. The EU is also preparing its own constellation, IRIS², expected to launch around 2027. While these constellations aim to expand global internet access, they also raise concerns about space debris, collision risks and the impact on astronomical observations. More statistics on this topic can be found here: https://lnkd.in/dyrAT_BP