Quick Read
- SpaceX launched 28 Starlink satellites on July 26, 2025, from Cape Canaveral.
- This marked the 91st Falcon 9 launch of the year and the 480th booster landing.
- Starlink experienced a rare global network outage two days prior, affecting millions.
- SpaceX engineers restored service within hours and are investigating the root cause.
- Starlink now has over 8,000 satellites in orbit, serving 6 million global users.
On the morning of July 26, 2025, SpaceX successfully launched 28 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The launch came just days after the company experienced a rare and widespread service outage affecting millions of its global customers. This event highlights both the resilience and the ambition of SpaceX in its mission to provide global internet coverage.
A Milestone Launch Amidst Setbacks
The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at precisely 5:01 a.m. EDT from Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral. This particular launch marked the 22nd flight for the Falcon 9 first-stage booster, a testament to SpaceX’s commitment to reusability and cost-efficiency in space exploration. Previous missions for this booster included Crew-6 and 17 earlier Starlink deployments. Approximately eight minutes after liftoff, the booster executed a flawless landing on the drone ship “A Shortfall of Gravitas” stationed in the Atlantic Ocean, marking the 119th touchdown on this particular vessel and the 480th overall landing for SpaceX’s fleet across Florida and California.
According to UPI, this launch was the 91st Falcon 9 mission of the year, underscoring SpaceX’s unprecedented pace in space operations. Astronomer Jonathan McDowell noted that there are now over 8,000 Starlink satellites in orbit, a significant achievement since the program’s inception in 2021.
The Rare Starlink Network Outage
Two days prior to the launch, on July 24, Starlink users around the globe reported a full network outage, a rare event for the usually reliable service. The outage began at approximately 4 p.m. EDT and lasted for about four hours. SpaceX engineers worked diligently to restore service, with most connectivity back online within two and a half hours and full restoration achieved ninety minutes later.
Michael Nicholls, SpaceX’s Vice President of Starlink Engineering, addressed the issue on social media platform X, explaining that the outage was caused by a failure of “key internal software services that operate the core network.” Nicholls apologized for the inconvenience and assured users that the company is actively investigating the root cause to prevent future disruptions. As reported by The Economic Times, the outage briefly impacted Starlink’s 6 million users worldwide, including 2 million in the United States.
Starlink’s Growing Global Impact
Since its public debut in 2021, Starlink has revolutionized internet access, particularly in remote and underserved areas. The network now boasts over 6 million subscribers worldwide, a number that continues to grow as SpaceX expands its satellite constellation. The recent launch of 28 new satellites is part of a broader effort to enhance service reliability and expand coverage to new regions.
SpaceX’s rapid deployment of satellites has not been without controversy. As noted by AZ Central, while space enthusiasts in regions like Arizona look forward to witnessing these spectacular launches, residents in areas near the launch sites, such as Santa Barbara County, California, have raised concerns about the environmental and noise impacts of frequent rocket launches.
What’s Next for SpaceX?
The July 26 launch is just one of many planned deployments in SpaceX’s ambitious schedule. Later that same day, at 8:55 p.m. PDT, another Falcon 9 rocket was slated to launch from Vandenberg Space Force Station in California, carrying an additional 24 Starlink satellites into orbit. This rapid cadence of launches underscores SpaceX’s determination to meet its goal of providing high-speed internet access to every corner of the globe.
As SpaceX continues to push the boundaries of technology and innovation, the company remains committed to addressing challenges, such as the recent network outage, to maintain its reputation as a leader in the space and telecommunications industries.
The successful launch of 28 Starlink satellites represents a significant step forward in SpaceX’s mission to revolutionize global internet connectivity, even as it navigates challenges and criticisms along the way.