SpaceX Expands Starlink Network, Celebrates 500th Rocket Recovery

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 28 Starlink internet satellites into low Earth orbit from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 8:32 a.m. EDT on Friday, September 5, 2025. The first stage of the rocket successfully returned and landed on the drone ship "Just Read the Instructions" about 8.5 minutes later after liftoff. It was the 27th touchdown for the booster B1069 and the company's 500th successful recovery of an orbital-class rocket overall.

About the launch

According to SpaceX, the Falcon 9's initial ascent was completed in under nine minutes, followed by about a 45-minute coast. The Starlink satellites (known as Group 10-57) are scheduled to be deployed from the Falcon 9's second stage one hour and 4 minutes after the launch.

This mission marked SpaceX's 500th successful landing of an orbital-class rocket. Each recovery allows SpaceX to refurbish and reuse the booster on future missions, significantly cutting costs compared to expendable rockets. Friday's mission was also the 111th Falcon 9 launch of 2025 and Falcon 9's 529th launch since 2010.

Significance

The goal of SpaceX's Starlink project is to transmit broadband internet from orbit. With the most recent launch, the network now has 28 satellites, connecting far-flung areas across the globe. About an hour after liftoff, these satellites effortlessly inserted themselves into their orbits after separating from the rocket's second stage.

The Starlink constellation now has more than 8,300 operational satellites in orbit following this mission. With each new satellite added to the fleet of low-orbit broadband relays, internet users' coverage is increased globally. Starlink provides connectivity where ground networks cannot, serving users in remote locations as well as on ships and aircraft.