In a landmark moment for private spaceflight, SpaceX has successfully completed its 250th Starlink launch, cementing its dominance in the satellite internet industry and showcasing the company’s unmatched launch cadence and technological reliability. The mission took place on the night of April 27, as a Falcon 9 rocket roared into the skies from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at precisely 10:09 p.m. EDT.
This particular flight deployed 23 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit, part of SpaceX’s ambitious plan to provide high-speed, low-latency internet access around the world. Significantly, 13 of the satellites launched are outfitted with direct-to-cell communication technology, an innovation aimed at bridging connectivity gaps in rural and isolated regions where traditional mobile networks are often unavailable. These satellites will enable standard mobile phones to connect directly to Starlink’s orbital network without the need for ground towers, offering a powerful solution to coverage blackouts.
Following liftoff, the Falcon 9’s first stage booster completed a successful reentry and performed a pinpoint vertical landing just eight minutes later on the autonomous drone ship, which was positioned in the Atlantic Ocean for recovery. This milestone marked the booster’s 20th successful landing, with 13 of its previous flights dedicated to Starlink deployments. The reusable first stage is a core part of SpaceX’s strategy to lower the cost of access to space and maintain a rapid launch tempo.
This mission was especially notable as it formed part of a dual-coast launch operation, with SpaceX launching back-to-back Starlink missions from both California and Florida within a short time frame. It was the company’s 50th launch of 2025, underscoring SpaceX’s unmatched pace in the aerospace sector. Out of those 50 launches, 48 were Falcon 9 missions, and 31 were dedicated solely to expanding the Starlink constellation.
With the addition of these new satellites, Starlink’s total number of active satellites in orbit now exceeds 7,200, making it the largest satellite network ever deployed. The system currently provides coverage across large swaths of North America, Europe, parts of Asia, and is expanding rapidly into Africa and South America.
SpaceX shared a video of the launch and booster landing on its social media platforms, showcasing the Falcon 9’s smooth return to Earth amid calm ocean conditions. The footage has received widespread acclaim from the space community and enthusiasts alike, serving as yet another reminder of SpaceX’s precision-engineered reusability model and its commitment to advancing access to space.
As SpaceX continues to build out its Starlink megaconstellation, the company is also laying the groundwork for broader space ambitions, including crewed missions to the Moon and Mars via its next-generation Starship vehicle. For now, though, Sunday night’s launch stands as a shining example of how far the company has come—and how rapidly it is shaping the future of global communications.
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