SpaceX achieved a significant milestone on September 5, launching 21 additional Starlink satellites, surpassing 7,000 in orbit. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral, marking the 15th flight for this specific booster, which safely returned to Earth post-launch.
SpaceX Reaches 7,000-Satellite Milestone with Latest Starlink Launch, Adding Direct-to-Cell Capability
SpaceX achieved a new milestone with its Starlink high-speed internet program during the Falcon 9 launch on September 5, per Teslarati.
One day after unfavorable weather conditions delayed departure, SpaceX launched 21 additional Starlink satellites from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 11:33 a.m. EDT. Space Launch Complex 40 served as the launch site for the Falcon 9 first stage.
The Starlink program has officially reached the 7,000-satellite milestone with the addition of 21 satellites. Following the most recent successful launch, there are now 7,001 satellites in low Earth orbit, up from 6,980.
Thirteen direct-to-cell satellites offering direct internet access to smartphones were also included in the most recent shipment. SpaceX verified this information in its post-launch press release on September 5 in the afternoon.
Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist who has monitored the number of Starlinks in the sky with each launch, has verified the 7,000-satellite threshold. Space.com was the first to disclose the figure.
The Falcon 9, utilized in the launch, returned to Earth and landed on the “Just Read the Instructions”droneship in the Atlantic Ocean after the successful separation. This was the 15th launch with this specific first-stage booster. Starlink missions comprised nine of the fifteen.
SpaceX Overcomes Falcon 9 Anomaly with Successful Starlink Launch, Polaris Dawn Mission
This particular Starlink launch was the third since an anomaly occurred with a Falcon 9 first stage, which collapsed on the “A Shortfall from Gravitas” droneship in late August.
Initially, the FAA suspended all Falcon 9 launches; however, SpaceX was permitted to proceed.
The launch was the initial of two scheduled for SpaceX on consecutive days.
The eagerly anticipated Polaris Dawn expedition will launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Station on September 6. The astronauts on that mission have been quarantined for days in anticipation of confirmation that they can travel to space.
The Polaris Dawn mission was scheduled to launch last week; however, the launch was postponed due to unfavorable conditions in the Atlantic Ocean.


NASA Faces Major Workforce Reduction as 20% of Employees Prepare to Leave
NASA Astronauts Wilmore and Williams Recover After Boeing Starliner Delay
SoftBank Shares Slide After Arm Earnings Miss Fuels Tech Stock Sell-Off
Global PC Makers Eye Chinese Memory Chip Suppliers Amid Ongoing Supply Crunch
SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates
Anta Sports Expands Global Footprint With Strategic Puma Stake
Cogent Biosciences Soars 120% on Breakthrough Phase 3 Results for Bezuclastinib in GIST Treatment
Indian Refiners Scale Back Russian Oil Imports as U.S.-India Trade Deal Advances
Amazon Stock Rebounds After Earnings as $200B Capex Plan Sparks AI Spending Debate
Alphabet’s Massive AI Spending Surge Signals Confidence in Google’s Growth Engine
Tabletop particle accelerator could transform medicine and materials science
Rio Tinto Shares Hit Record High After Ending Glencore Merger Talks
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Reaches New Heights but Ends in Setback
DBS Expects Slight Dip in 2026 Net Profit After Q4 Earnings Miss on Lower Interest Margins
Baidu Approves $5 Billion Share Buyback and Plans First-Ever Dividend in 2026
FDA Targets Hims & Hers Over $49 Weight-Loss Pill, Raising Legal and Safety Concerns
Weight-Loss Drug Ads Take Over the Super Bowl as Pharma Embraces Direct-to-Consumer Marketing 



