SpaceX Launches 24 More Starlink Satellites, Nears 10,500 Active Units in Orbit

SpaceX continued to expand its megaconstellation of internet satellites by launching a new batch of 24 Starlink satellites from the West Coast of the United States. The mission, reported by Space.com, confirms the Elon Musk-led company's accelerated pace in developing the world's largest space communications network. A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off on May 19 from Vandenberg Space Force Base's Space Launch Complex 4 East, located in southern California. The Starlink satellites, identified as part of Group 17-42, were placed into a preliminary orbit about 8 minutes and 40 seconds after launch. The actual deployment of the 24 satellites took place about 50 minutes later, according to Space.com.

• Booster successfully reused

The rocket's first stage, known as B1103, successfully completed its second flight, returning to Earth and landing on the autonomous ship Of Course I Still Love You, positioned in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of California. The recovery once again demonstrates the efficiency of the reuse system developed by SpaceX, which has dramatically reduced the cost of orbital launches and revolutionized the global space industry. After this mission, the Starlink constellation counts just under 10,500 functional satellites in low Earth orbit. The network provides high-speed internet access in dozens of countries and is used by households and businesses, as well as public institutions and the armed forces.

Starlink service has become essential in remote, hard-to-reach areas or areas affected by conflict and natural disasters, where terrestrial communications infrastructure is limited or destroyed.

• Record launch rate in 2026

This mission was SpaceX's 58th launch in 2026 and the company's 651st successful launch since its founding in 2010. This impressive pace confirms SpaceX's dominance in the commercial launch sector and the central role the company plays in developing the new space economy. The Starlink project aims to build a global network capable of providing fast and stable connections to almost any point on the globe. In parallel with commercial launches, the system has important strategic implications in the fields of security, emergency communications and space exploration. With each new launch, SpaceX is solidifying an orbital infrastructure that could redefine how the world accesses the internet and digital communications in the coming years.