Spaceflight — Galactic Index

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How do we explore beyond Earth?

Start with the big picture. Open the sections below to see the evidence and future goals.

3/100Comparison scoreAn editorial model, not a scientific grade.

6Milestones to exploreA mix of capabilities and future goals.

1Linked measurementsOpen a measurement for its source and date.

Galactic Index SCORE

3/100Index weight 10

REFERENCE MEASURE

1 · Inhabited worlds
editorial target: 25,000,000 inhabited worlds

Steps toward the future

Explore the milestone ladder

doneReusable access to orbitLEVEL 2
doneCrewed lunar flybyApr 2026LEVEL 2
nextPermanent Moon base; humans on Mars2027–2040sLEVEL 2
farSecond inhabited worldLEVEL 4
farSpeculative faster-than-light travelLEVEL 4
farGalaxy-spanning civilization and distant settlementsLEVEL 4

AROUND OUR PLANET

How many satellites are there?

≈15,800Still workingFunctioning satellites

≈19,440Still in spaceWorking and inactive satellites

≈47,360Tracked objectsIncludes satellites, rocket bodies and debris

ESA update: 2026-10-23 · Reviewed: 2026-11-02 · Rounded estimates. ESA Space Debris Office ↗

What these counts mean

A working satellite still performs a function. Inactive satellites can remain in orbit. Tracking an object does not mean it is working, and many small debris fragments are not catalogued.

These figures describe Earth’s orbital environment; they are not a score of progress. More objects can also mean more congestion. The daily source review checks for newer ESA figures; this display does not tick upward between observations.

POSSIBLE ROUTE FORWARD

Action path

2027–2034Editorial horizon

This near-term path is shared with the corresponding Cooperative track.

TARGET

Level 2: fully reusable super-heavy launcher; permanent Moon base

Explore the possible steps

Possible steps

Starship reaches orbit (Flight 14)
Booster and ship catch; rapid reflight
Orbital propellant transfer
Artemis III (2027); base built on repeated landings early 2030s

THE CRUX · DECISION POINT

In-space propellant transfer — every deep-space plan runs through it; nobody has done it at scale

IF THE MAINLINE STALLS

If reuse takes years, China's ILRS and Blue Origin's lander keep the Moon rung alive on a slower cadence

What to watch

Tonnes to orbit per year; days between Starship reflights; first propellant transfer demo

Related snapshot measures

These are the available measures in the supplied dataset; they may be proxies for the leading indicators above.

Unlocks

Energy & Kardashev ↗

A scenario from the supplied handoff, not a prediction or professional advice.

Sourced indicators / 1

Open a measurement to see where it comes from.

See measurements & sources

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New here? What the labels mean

Reported fact

A number from a named source. Check when, where and what it measures.

Model or score

A way to compare things using chosen rules. Different rules can give different scores.

Future goal or scenario

Something we hope to achieve, or imagine might happen. It is not a measured fact.

Milestone: An important step toward a goal.
Indicator: A measurement that helps us understand something.
Dependency: Something that may need help from something else.
Biodiversity: The variety of living things.
GW: Gigawatts: a unit of power. Capacity is what equipment can produce at its rated output.