SpaceX hits 10,000-satellite milestone as Starlink continues to rewrite the rules of the internet

Starlink Hits 10,000 Satellites In Orbit - Elon Musk Milestone | Image by AstroStar/Shuttertsock

Ten thousand. That's the number of Starlink satellites now circling the Earth - a number Elon Musk celebrated with a characteristically dramatic touch on X today, quoting the ancient Greek military formation with the post "Orbital March of the Ten Thousand."

The milestone, confirmed through Federal Communications Commission filings and SpaceX launch records, was reached earlier this month when SpaceX launched two Falcon 9 rockets, deploying 54 new satellites into low Earth orbit.

Those 10,000-plus active satellites now account for roughly 70% of all functioning satellites currently orbiting the planet, per BGR.com.

The speed at which SpaceX reached the 10,000 mark is arguably as impressive as the number itself.

As recently as October 2025, the Starlink constellation had around 8,400 satellites. Meaning, the company has launched an average of 320 satellites each month to get to this point... and SpaceX appears to have no intention of slowing down.

The company currently operates under FCC authorizations that include its first-generation Starlink constellation (originally capped at around 12,000 satellites) plus an approved second-generation constellation of 15,000 satellites. SpaceX has also filed paperwork seeking approval for nearly 30,000 additional Gen2 satellites, though the FCC has authorized only the first 15,000 so far.

SpaceX has made clear that its long-term goal is to place up to one million additional satellites in orbit, though these would not be traditional "communication relays." Instead, they would serve as "orbital AI data centers" - a concept that has drawn criticism from space experts.

Robert Massey, deputy executive director of the British Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), has warned that one million active satellites would effectively destroy the night sky as we know it.

"These proposals would not only have a disastrous impact on the science of astronomy, they would also hinder the right of everybody on Earth to enjoy the night sky. That is unacceptable. The stars above us are a valued part of human heritage - deploying more than one million exceptionally bright satellites would utterly destroy this and permanently scar the natural landscape. We hope the FCC wholeheartedly rejects the plans," Massey wrote in a past RAS press release.

For now, the practical implications of 10,000 Starlink satellites are already playing out across the globe.

Notably, not all of Musk's satellites in the constellation remain functional - at least 10 are currently non-operational - and more than 1,500 have deorbited since Starlink began launching in earnest. Regardless, the active satellite fleet from Starlink's team dwarfs that of every competitor.

What We've Been Watching at The Dallas Express

The growth of Starlink's network continues as SpaceX has seemingly pushed nonstop to build its commercial momentum.

Earlier this year, major airlines including Emirates, Lufthansa, and Korean Air announced plans to install Starlink as their in-flight Wi-Fi system.

The satellite boom also carries a strong Texas connection.

Last October, SpaceX launched its eleventh Starship test flight from the Starbase facility in Boca Chica, progressing reusable rocket technology while producing those iconic sonic booms heard across South Texas. Once Starship enters full operational service, its ability to deploy dozens of satellites per launch is expected to dramatically accelerate Starlink's overall growth.

The current milestone of 10,000 satellites may soon seem modest. Texans across the state, who have already witnessed the bright "Starlink trains" moving across the night sky, could see even more significant changes in the coming years.