SpaceX deploys 28 Starlink satellites in Florida, recovers rocket in the ocean (video showcase)
SpaceX Launches 28 More Starlink Satellites, Bringing Total Operational Satellites to Over 8,000
SpaceX continued its mission to expand the Starlink internet satellite program with another successful launch on August 4, 2021. The Falcon 9 rocket, taking off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, carried 28 Starlink satellites towards low Earth orbit.
This was the 96th Falcon 9 launch of the year and the 21st flight for the booster B-1080, which has had a busy year with 15 previous Starlink launches. The first stage of the rocket returned to Earth about 8.5 minutes later, landing on "Just Read the Instructions," one of SpaceX's drone ships in the Atlantic Ocean.
The Starlink megaconstellation, now consisting of more than 8,000 operational satellites, is the largest satellite assemblage ever built. This launch was a significant step towards SpaceX's goal of providing high-speed, low-latency internet to millions of customers worldwide.
Starlink satellites operate in low Earth orbit and use advanced beam switching so that user terminals can maintain stable connections even when obstacles temporarily block satellites in view. As of August 2025, Starlink has over 6 million active customers across more than 40 countries.
SpaceX continues to launch Starlink satellites frequently. In 2025 alone, the company has launched over 1,650 Starlink satellites, and more than 100 Starlink missions have been completed in the past year. The constellation is continually growing, with plans to add 400+ more satellites in polar orbits by the end of 2025.
Regarding future plans, SpaceX is developing a second-generation Starlink (v2) constellation. These satellites are an order of magnitude better in bandwidth compared to the first generation, larger, heavier, equipped with laser inter-satellite links, and designed for launch on both Falcon 9 and Starship rockets. About 2,000 of these Gen2 satellites will carry large antennas to enable direct satellite communication with mobile phones via partnerships like that with T-Mobile.
SpaceX is also investing heavily in minimizing the satellites’ impact on astronomy by deploying technologies to reduce brightness and reflections, such as dielectric mirror films. This demonstrates ongoing collaboration with the astronomy community.
In summary, Starlink is actively growing its operational constellation with thousands of satellites in orbit, expanding global coverage and customer base, while preparing to launch a far more advanced second-generation constellation with enhanced capabilities and satellite-phone direct connectivity planned for the near future.
- The significant step towards SpaceX's goal of providing high-speed, low-latency internet to millions of customers worldwide has been further advanced, with the Starlink internet satellite program's megaconstellation now consisting of over 8,000 operational satellites.
- As SpaceX plans to add 400+ more satellites in polar orbits by the end of 2025, the company is also investing in minimizing the satellites' impact on astronomy by deploying technologies to reduce brightness and reflections, demonstrating ongoing collaboration with the astronomy community.
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