Starlink Passes 10,000 Satellites, Expanding Global Internet Reach

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Starlink Passes 10,000 Satellites, Expanding Global Internet Reach

By CircleID Reporter
October 21, 2025, 7:40 am PDT Views: 5,751 Add Comment

Starlink satellites expand global internet access as low-Earth orbit networks reshape digital connectivity infrastructure. (Photo: SpaceX)

SpaceX has surpassed 10,000 satellite launches in its Starlink programme, following the deployment of 56 additional units on Sunday. The milestone highlights the rapid expansion of satellite-based broadband infrastructure and its increasing role in global connectivity.

Orbital dominance: According to the satellite-tracking organisation Celestrak, more than 8,500 of the 12,955 active satellites currently in low-Earth orbit belong to the Starlink network. While several hundred Starlink units have since deorbited or become inactive, the scale of the constellation far exceeds that of other providers. OneWeb, the next-largest network, operates just over 650 satellites.

The Starlink system, designed to deliver internet access via low-latency satellite links, targets areas underserved by terrestrial infrastructure. Each unit typically remains operational for around five years before undergoing a controlled reentry to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere. The increasing rate of these deorbits—currently between one and two per day, and projected to reach five daily—reflects both the pace of launches and the network’s planned turnover.

Future expansion: SpaceX has authorisation to deploy up to 12,000 satellites, with ambitions to expand the constellation to 42,000. Its most recent launch equalled its previous annual record of 132 Falcon 9 missions, with more planned before the year’s end.

Implications: The growth of such mega-constellations is reshaping the landscape of global telecommunications. Low-Earth orbit networks are emerging as a viable alternative to fibre and cellular infrastructure in hard-to-reach locations. However, their long-term environmental effects—including atmospheric impacts from satellite reentry—remain an area of active research. As more players, including state-backed Chinese networks, pursue large-scale deployments, the balance between expanding access and managing orbital sustainability will become increasingly central to the satellite internet industry.

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By CircleID Reporter — CircleID’s internal staff reporting on news tips and developing stories. Do you have information the professional Internet community should be aware of? Contact us.
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