SpaceX has reached yet another remarkable milestone in space technology. On October 19, 2025, the Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base, carrying 28 Starlink satellites into orbit. Among them was a historic payload — the company’s 10,000th Starlink satellite, marking a major step in SpaceX’s mission to build a global broadband network.
This launch also represented the 132nd Falcon 9 mission of 2025, matching last year’s record with over two months remaining in the year. SpaceX is now on track to set a new all-time annual launch record by the end of 2025.
The Starlink journey began in 2018, when SpaceX launched its first prototype satellites, Tintin A and Tintin B. Mass deployment started in 2019, and the public beta phase rolled out in October 2020, followed by full commercial availability in 2021.
As of now, around 8,600 Starlink satellites remain active, with decommissioned ones safely deorbited and burned up in Earth’s atmosphere. Each satellite has an average operational lifespan of about five years. SpaceX currently holds authorization for 12,000 satellites but ultimately aims to expand the network to over 30,000 units.
During this latest launch, Falcon 9’s first stage landed successfully on the Pacific-based drone ship Of Course I Still Love You, completing its 11th mission. Impressively, SpaceX conducted a second Starlink launch later the same day, adding another 28 satellites to orbit.
With this milestone, SpaceX continues to redefine what’s possible in space-based internet connectivity, moving closer to its ambitious goal of delivering high-speed internet access to every corner of the planet.