Earth-watching satellites

1,647 satellites in orbit, 1,223 operating.

The count is the catalogue’s as of Nov 10, 2026, 8:17 AM; whether a satellite is operating is as Orbinauts writes it where it has written when the satellite’s mission ended, and otherwise as Jonathan McDowell’s general catalogue believes it, licensed CC BY 4.0: GCAT

An Earth-watching satellite looks down: the weather satellites GOES-19 and Meteosat-12, the Earth science missions Terra and Landsat 9. Otherwise the kind is the one GCAT gives a payload whose purpose is imaging, radar imaging, weather, Earth science or geodesy.

A satellite’s kind is the one Orbinauts writes for it, else its constellation’s, else the one its purpose in GCAT gives.

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SatelliteKindOrbit classLaunchedOperating
GAOFEN 9Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
YAOGAN 27Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
CARBONITE 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
DMC 3-FM3Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
DMC 3-FM2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
DMC 3-FM1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
GAOFEN 8Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
COSMOS 2506Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
KOMPSAT 3AEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
COSMOS 2503Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
FENGYUN 2GEarth-watching satelliteInclined geosynchronousYes
YAOGAN 26Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
CBERS-4Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
YAOGAN 24Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
ASNAROEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
YAOGAN 22Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
HIMAWARI 8Earth-watching satelliteGeostationaryYes
YAOGAN 21Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
GAOFEN 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
SKYSAT 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
METEOR M2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
OCO 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
SPOT 7Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
QB50P2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
QB50P1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
TABLETSAT AURORAEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
HODOYOSHI 3Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
BUGSAT 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
DEIMOS 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
HODOYOSHI 4Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
KAZEOSAT 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
UNIFORM 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
KAZEOSAT 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
EGYPTSAT 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
DMSP 5D-3 F19 (USA 249)Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
GPMEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
HINCUBEEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
DOVE 3Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
WNISAT 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
DUBAISAT 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
SKYSAT 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
YAOGAN 19Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
FENGYUN 3CEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
KOMPSAT 5Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
INSAT 3DEarth-watching satelliteGeostationaryYes
COSMOS 2486Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
VNREDSAT 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
GAOFEN 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
SARALEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
GOKTURK 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
PLEIADES 1BEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
VRSS-1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
SPOT 6Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
METEOSAT 10 (MSG 3)Earth-watching satelliteInclined geosynchronousYes
YAOGAN 15Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
KOMPSAT 3Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
GCOM W1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
YAOGAN 14Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
RISAT 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
FENGYUN 2FEarth-watching satelliteInclined geosynchronousEnded
ZY 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
PLEIADES 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
SSOTEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
SHIYAN 4 (SY-4)Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
YAOGAN 12Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
SICH 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
RASATEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
NIGERIASAT XEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
NIGERIASAT 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
HAIYANG 2AEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
SAC-D (AQUARIUS)Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
XSATEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
RESOURCESAT 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
ELEKTRO-LEarth-watching satelliteInclined geosynchronousEnded
SKYMED 4Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
FENGYUN 3BEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
YAOGAN 11Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
YAOGAN 10Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
ALSAT 2AEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
CARTOSAT 2BEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
TANDEM XEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
CRYOSAT 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
EWS-G2 (GOES 15)Earth-watching satelliteGeostationaryYes
YAOGAN 8Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
YAOGAN 7Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
SMOSEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
DMSP 5D-3 F18 (USA 210)Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
WORLDVIEW 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
ITUPSAT 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
SWISSCUBEEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
OCEANSAT 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
BLITSEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
UGATUSATEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
METEOR-MEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
DMC 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
DUBAISAT 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
DEIMOS 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
RAZAKSATEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
EWS-G3 (GOES 14)Earth-watching satelliteGeostationaryYes
NOAA 19Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
GOSAT (IBUKI)Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
FENGYUN 2EEarth-watching satelliteInclined geosynchronousEnded
YAOGAN 4Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
SHIYAN 3 (SY-3)Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
SKYMED 3Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
THEOSEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
GEOEYE 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
HJ-1BEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
HJ-1AEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
RAPIDEYE 4Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
RAPIDEYE 3Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
RAPIDEYE 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
RAPIDEYE 5Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
RAPIDEYE 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
COSMOS 2441Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
JASON 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
FENGYUN 3AEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
IMS-1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
CARTOSAT 2AEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
RADARSAT 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
SKYMED 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
YAOGAN 3Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
CBERS 2BEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
WORLDVIEW 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
SAR LUPE 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
TERRA SAR XEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
SKYMED 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
YAOGAN 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
SAUDISAT 3Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
EGYPTSAT 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
HAIYANG 1BEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
LAPAN-TUBSATEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
FENGYUN 2DEarth-watching satelliteInclined geosynchronousEnded
DMSP 5D-3 F17 (USA 191)Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
METOP-AEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
KOMPSAT 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
RESURS DK-1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
EWS-G1 (GOES 13)Earth-watching satelliteMedium Earth orbitEnded
CALIPSOEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
CLOUDSATEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
YAOGAN 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
HIMAWARI 7Earth-watching satelliteInclined geosynchronousEnded
ALOSEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
METEOSAT 9 (MSG 2)Earth-watching satelliteInclined geosynchronousYes
SINAH 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
TOPSATEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
BEIJING 1 (TSINGHUA)Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
NOAA 18Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
CARTOSAT-1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
HIMAWARI 6Earth-watching satelliteInclined geosynchronousEnded
PARASOLEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
HELIOS 2AEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
SHIYAN 2 (SY-2)Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
JB-3 CEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
FENGYUN 2CEarth-watching satelliteInclined geosynchronousEnded
AURAEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
ROCSAT 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
TANSUO 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
CBERS 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
DMSP 5D-3 F16 (USA 172)Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
IRS P6Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
BILSAT 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
UK-DMCEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
NIGERIASAT 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
SCISAT 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
CORIOLISEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
WEOSEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
ADEOS 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
ALSAT 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
KALPANA 1 (METSAT 1)Earth-watching satelliteInclined geosynchronousEnded
METEOSAT 8 (MSG 1)Earth-watching satelliteInclined geosynchronousEnded
COSMOS 2392Earth-watching satelliteMedium Earth orbitEnded
NOAA 17Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
FENGYUN 1DEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
HAIYANG 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
SPOT 5Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
MAROC TUBSATEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
BADR BEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
METEOR 3MEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
TIMEDEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitYes
JASONEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
LREEarth-watching satelliteHighly elliptical orbitEnded
GOES 12Earth-watching satelliteInclined geosynchronousEnded
SAC CEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
EO 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
SAUDISAT 1AEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
NOAA 16Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
TZINGHUA 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
FENGYUN 2BEarth-watching satelliteInclined geosynchronousEnded
GOES 11Earth-watching satelliteInclined geosynchronousEnded
KOMPSATEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
DMSP 5D-2 F15 (USA 147)Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
HELIOS 1BEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
CBERS 1Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
IKONOS 2Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
OKEAN OEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
QUIKSCATEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
IRS P4 (OCEANSAT 1)Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
TUBSATEarth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded
KITSAT 3Earth-watching satelliteLow Earth orbitEnded