Image: SpaceX
SpaceX has officially crossed a major milestone, with more than 10,000 Starlink satellites launched to date. The company marked the achievement on Sunday, October 19, after completing two Falcon 9 missions on opposite coasts of the United States — a “double-header” launch day that added 56 new Starlink satellites to orbit.
The first mission lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 10:39 a.m. PT/1:39 p.m. ET, carrying 28 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit (LEO). SpaceX confirmed that the Falcon 9’s first stage completed its 31st flight and landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
Less than two hours later, at 12:24 p.m. PT/3:24 p.m. ET, another Falcon 9 launched an additional 28 Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. That rocket’s first stage successfully landed on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship in the Pacific Ocean after its 11th flight. SpaceX recently received approval from the U.S. Air Force to double its annual launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base.
While SpaceX has now launched more than 10,000 Starlink satellites since the program’s inception, not all remain in orbit. Many have completed their operational lifespans and have since deorbited, safely burning up upon re-entry. As of today, approximately 8,600 Starlink satellites remain active in LEO.
Starlink’s growing constellation underpins its expanding broadband network, which recently surpassed seven million users across more than 150 countries. The company’s rapidly increasing satellite count is designed to support not only higher speeds and greater reliability for its broadening user base but also future services, including mobile connectivity through the $17 billion worth of spectrum Starlink recently acquired from EchoStar.
Until now, SpaceX has relied on its reusable Falcon rockets to deploy Starlink satellites. However, beginning next year, the company plans to transition to its next-generation Starship vehicle to launch larger, more powerful Starlink V3 satellites. These next-gen satellites will deliver higher bandwidth and improved coverage, further strengthening Starlink’s global internet network.
