According to astrophysicist and satellite tracking expert Jonathan McDowell, SpaceX has now launched a total of 10,016 Starlink satellites, surpassing the 10,000 mark after adding another 28 satellites in its latest mission.
The first batch of Starlink satellites was launched on May 23, 2019. In just six and a half years, SpaceX has averaged more than 1,500 launches per year — an unprecedented pace in the history of space deployment.
However, each Starlink satellite is designed with an expected lifespan of around five years. As a result, many have already deorbited and burned up upon reentry, while others were lost due to launch failures or technical issues. Currently, about 8,652 satellites remain operational, indicating a moderate attrition rate.
Meanwhile, China’s own “Starlink-style” satellite constellations — such as the Qianfan and Guowang networks — are also accelerating deployment, entering a phase of intensive launches aimed at building large-scale broadband satellite systems.