This Week in Orbit: 2026-09-22
This week in orbit saw a variety of developments across the space sector. NASA awarded SpaceX three additional crew flights to the International Space Station, reinforcing their ongoing collaboration.
| Active satellites | 15,732 |
| Starlink active | 9,835 |
| Catalogued objects | 31,407 |
| Predicted re-entries | 29 |
| Active close approaches | 20 |
| People in space | 10 |
Week Overview
This week in orbit saw a variety of developments across the space sector. NASA awarded SpaceX three additional crew flights to the International Space Station, reinforcing their ongoing collaboration. The Hubble Space Telescope identified an out-of-sync galaxy, contributing to our understanding of cosmic phenomena. Meanwhile, ESA and The Pokémon Company International announced a Europe-wide exhibition featuring an astronaut Pikachu experience, aiming to engage the public with space exploration. On the scientific front, researchers made strides in understanding the solar cycle and the formation of the first supermassive black holes. Orbital Radar's live catalogue reports 15,732 active satellites in orbit as of 22 September 2026.
Launch Activity
This week was notably quiet in terms of launch activity, with no new launches recorded. However, SpaceX's recent deployment of 27 Starlink V2 Mini satellites continues to bolster their constellation, which now includes 9,835 active satellites. For those interested in upcoming launches, Orbital Radar's Launch Schedule provides a comprehensive overview of future missions.
Orbital Events
Several close approaches were monitored this week, with the closest being between TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X, at a minimum distance of approximately 0.47 km. These events highlight the increasing congestion in low Earth orbit, necessitating vigilant space situational awareness. Active close approaches being tracked currently total 20, according to Orbital Radar's space situational awareness toolkit.
Space Weather
Space weather conditions remained stable this week, with all metrics indicating a 'green' risk level. The solar wind speed was recorded at 387 km/s, and the geomagnetic Kp index was at 1, suggesting minimal disturbance. These conditions are favourable for satellite operations and can be monitored through Orbital Radar's Space Situational Awareness hub.
Notable Satellites
The Starlink constellation continues to dominate the satellite landscape, with 11,120 Starlink satellites launched to date, of which 9,835 are operational. The constellation's expansion is evident in the deployment of 7,533 V2 Mini satellites. For real-time tracking of these satellites, Orbital Radar's Starlink Tracker offers detailed insights.
Looking Ahead
Looking to the future, China's space programme is progressing with plans for a Mars sample return and asteroid flyby missions. These initiatives are part of China's broader strategy to expand its presence in space, as detailed in the China in Space hub on Orbital Radar. Additionally, the upcoming missions of SpaceX's Starship, as it awaits orbital clearance, are generating significant interest in the space community.
📎 Cite this article · data available
Orbital Radar Newsroom. (2026). This Week in Orbit: 2026-09-22. Orbital Radar. https://orbitalradar.com/blog/this-week-in-orbit-2026-09-22"This Week in Orbit: 2026-09-22." Orbital Radar, 20 September 2026, https://orbitalradar.com/blog/this-week-in-orbit-2026-09-22.@misc{orbitalradar_this_week_in_orbit_2026_09_22,
title = {This Week in Orbit: 2026-09-22},
author = {{Orbital Radar}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://orbitalradar.com/blog/this-week-in-orbit-2026-09-22}}
}
