NASA’s Mars orbiter fleet is getting old – here’s how that could affect future exploration

Orbiters around Mars help scientists study and photograph the red planet. CU/LASP EMM/EXI ITF/Kevin M. Gill, CC BY

Currently, about 16,000 satellites are orbiting Earth, providing everything from GPS service and weather reports to phone service in remote locations to people across the globe.

In contrast, the highest-ever number of active satellites in orbit around Mars, one of the best-explored other planets in our solar system, is eight.