SpaceX has launched over 10,000 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit, with 56 added on Sunday during the 132nd Falcon 9 launch of 2025, tying the annual launch record with months remaining.

Of these, about 8,608 are currently operational, each with a typical five-year lifespan before deorbiting.

Starlink began with prototypes in 2018 and commercial service in 2021, aiming to provide fast, low-latency global internet, The Verge has reported.

Competing mega-constellations from Amazon, Europe, and China raise concerns about space overcrowding.