Starlink created history in 2018 by launching its first test satellites into orbit. Following this, the privately owned corporation, which is a branch of Space X, began putting more satellites into orbit each year, usually over the course of a few months. In order to put that into perspective, between 2018 and 2022, it launched more than 2,900 satellites into orbit.

However, Starlink is not finished yet. It recently secured FCC approval for its plan to launch over 40,000 satellites over the following ten years. That’s a significant amount, and if Starlink succeeds in its goal, it may have more satellites in orbit than any other organization on Earth. The actual goal of SpaceX’s massive Starlink satellite launch is to provide internet speeds that can compete with the industry’s fastest options.

According to Bloomberg , Starlink satellites must be as close to the earth as feasible to minimize delay. Starlink satellites are located in low earth orbit (LEO), which is between 311 miles and 1,243 miles above the surface of the globe. This is in contrast to conventional satellites, which orbit the earth up to 22,223 miles above the surface. Low earth orbit satellites circle the planet in two hours or less than medium earth orbit satellites. They move extremely quickly in orbit but cover a smaller area, so if you want to cover the entire planet, you’ll need hundreds of LEO satellites.

In order to enhance its internet offerings in rural areas, SpaceX is predicted to launch thousands of satellites over the next ten years. However, Starlink won’t be the only law enforcement agency in space; Amazon also has plans to place thousands of satellites into orbit.