SpaceX has achieved a significant milestone by deploying over 10,000 Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit for the first time. This achievement comes less than seven years after the company launched its first collection of satellites in May 2019.
The successful launch took place on the night of March 16, 2026, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Robert Goddard’s launch of the first liquid-fueled rocket. The Falcon 9 rocket, which has been used in 615 flights, lifted off at 10:19 p.m. PDT.
The rocket took off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, marking the 17th orbital launch from this site this year. A little over eight minutes after launch, the Falcon 9’s first stage booster successfully landed on a drone ship in the Pacific Ocean, making this the 184th landing on that vessel.
In addition to its growing satellite constellation, SpaceX has reported over 10 million active customers for its Starlink service across 160 countries. Recent activations include connectivity for Niue, Kuwait, and the Central African Republic.
Experts view this achievement as remarkable. Dr. Jonathan McDowell, an orbital tracker, noted that the vast number of satellites requires tens of thousands of manoeuvres to avoid collisions, a feat not previously seen.
Looking ahead, SpaceX plans to launch larger Version 3 satellites using its Starship rocket, although a specific launch date has not yet been announced. These new satellites are expected to offer significantly more capacity compared to previous models.
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