Elon Musk’s commercial space flight company SpaceX reached two major milestones on Oct. 19, launching its 10,000th Starlink satellite while setting a new record for its Falcon 9 booster's 31st mission.
SpaceX Launches 28 Starlink Satellites To Surpass 10,000 In Orbit
A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 10:52 a.m. EDT, carrying 28 Starlink broadband satellites into low Earth orbit, reported Space.com.
The launch marked the 10,000th Starlink satellite deployed by SpaceX, according to satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell.
Falcon 9 Booster 1067 Sets Record With 31st Flight And Successful Landing
Booster 1067, the first stage of the Falcon 9, completed its 31st mission, landing safely on the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean roughly 8.5 minutes after liftoff.
"Each successful landing and reuse helps lower costs and increase access to space," SpaceX said in a mission update.
The upper stage deployed all 28 satellites approximately 64 minutes after liftoff, adding to the roughly 8,610 operational satellites that provide Starlink internet worldwide.
Starlink Faces U.S. Probe While Expanding Global Connectivity
Last week, a bipartisan U.S. Congressional committee reportedly began investigating Musk's Starlink satellite business for allegedly providing internet access to scam centers in Myanmar that defrauded billions of dollars.
Satellite images and drone footage showed extensive construction at heavily guarded compounds near Myawaddy on the Thailand-Myanmar border using Starlink services.
The U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee launched the inquiry and could compel Musk to testify.
Earlier this month, Starlink began supporting continuous video calls, messaging, and data through its direct-to-cell technology for T-Mobile US subscribers.
SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell confirmed that the service enabled continuous data, video, voice, and messaging across five continents.
In August, Starlink reached 7 million customers worldwide, operating in 150 territories. The service had grown from 6 million users in June 2025, adding an average of 12,200 customers per day over two months.
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