SpaceX Hits 10,000 Starlink Satellites in Orbit

SpaceX has pushed its Starlink satellite constellation past the 10,000 mark, marking a major milestone in the company’s mission to deliver global internet coverage.

The milestone came on October 19 when two Falcon 9 rockets launched a total of 56 Starlink satellites – 28 from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base and another 28 from Florida’s Space Coast.

The California launch included the 10,000th Starlink satellite ever to reach orbit.

The launches coincided with SpaceX’s 132nd Falcon 9 flight of the year, tying the company’s previous annual record with more than two months still remaining in 2025.

One of the Falcon 9 boosters involved in Sunday’s launches achieved a new milestone of 31 total flights, highlighting SpaceX’s record-breaking reusability program.

Of the 10,000 satellites sent into low Earth orbit, approximately 8,608 remain operational, according to satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell.

Starlink satellites typically operate for around five years before being de-orbited to burn up in the atmosphere. The first prototypes, Tintin A and B, were launched in 2018, leading to Starlink’s commercial rollout in 2021.

SpaceX now has approval to launch up to 12,000 Starlink satellites, with plans to expand the constellation to more than 30,000.

The network already serves over seven million subscribers worldwide and is expanding toward direct-to-smartphone connectivity.

Other companies, including Amazon with Project Kuiper and satellite initiatives in Europe and China, are pursuing similar “mega-constellation” plans, prompting growing concerns about congestion and debris in low Earth orbit.

Despite these challenges, SpaceX shows no signs of slowing.

The company’s Starlink program continues to grow at a rapid pace, combining high launch cadence with reusable rocket technology to maintain one of the largest satellite constellations in history.