103. Satellites

There are now nearly 12,000 satellites orbiting Earth. What does it cost to put them there, and how do they make money? Zachary Crockett launches an investigation.

• SOURCES:
  • Tim Farrar, president of TMF Associates.
  • Rachel Jewett, managing editor of Via Satellite.

• RESOURCES:
  • "How geostationary small satellites are providing strategic access to space," by Steve Collar (World Economic Forum, 2025).
  • "State of the Satellite Industry Report," (Satellite Industry Association, 2025).
  • "Elon Musk Dominates Space Launch. Rivals Are Calling Foul." by Eric Lipton (New York Times, 2024).
  • "Kessler Syndrome and the space debris problem," by Mike Wall (Space, 2022).
  • "BlackRock Says Satellite Images Can Help Track Chinese Companies," by Lisa Pham (Bloomberg, 2017).