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How many satellites does Italy have?
As of October 17, 2026, Italy owns 91 active satellites, 0.5% of the world's 17,101 and the 7th most of any country. The biggest single group is IRIDE, with 39 satellites (43% of the total).
91
Active satellites
0.5%
Of the world total
7th
Rank among countries
0
Launches in 2025
What they do
Technology demonstration accounts for 45 of Italy's active satellites (49%).
Where they orbit
Who operates them
The largest operators, and the largest families of satellites, owned by Italy.
By operator
By satellite family
Operator names are as written in GCAT, usually transliterated from the original language. Families group satellites by the first word of their name.
How the fleet has grown
At the end of 2005, Italy had 11 payloads in Earth orbit. By the end of 2025 it had 86.
Launches
Italy has made 11 orbital launch attempts since its first in 1967, and 0 of them in 2025. Its busiest year was 1971 with 2.
Sources and method
- GCAT by Jonathan McDowell, CC BY 4.0. Updated October 17, 2026. Data from GCAT (J. McDowell, planet4589.org/space/gcat).
- Active means GCAT lists the satellite as working or possibly still transmitting, a status GCAT says is often a guess. Ownership is by the owner's country, not the launch country.