SpaceX sent another batch of Starlink satellites into orbit on Thursday, March 13, 2026, lifting off from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 7:57 am PDT. The Falcon 9 rocket carried 25 next-generation Starlink v2 Mini satellites to low-Earth orbit as part of the Starlink Group 17-31 mission.

The booster that powered this flight, B1071, has now completed an impressive 32nd trip to space and back — a staggering milestone in reusability that would have seemed impossible just a decade ago. Following stage separation, the first stage touched down on SpaceX’s droneship Of Course I Still Love You, stationed in the Pacific Ocean — a landing that has now become almost routine for the California-based launch team.

This mission is one of many SpaceX has pulled off in rapid succession in 2026. The pace is relentless: SpaceX added over 567 Starlink satellites to orbit in just the first few weeks of this year, pushing the constellation past a historic threshold. As of March 2026, Starlink is surpassing 10,000 satellites in orbit for the very first time — a number that makes it by far the largest satellite network in human history.​

To put that in perspective, Starlink now accounts for 65% of all active satellites currently circling Earth. The service has grown explosively on the subscriber front too — from 1 million users in December 2022 to a jaw-dropping 10 million subscribers as of February 2026, just two months ago.​

Each new batch of v2 Mini satellites adds meaningful capacity to the network. The newer satellites weigh around 1,760 lbs (800kg) at launch — nearly three times heavier than the original generation — and are designed to deliver significantly faster speeds and broader coverage. With an approved limit of 12,000 satellites and applications filed for up to 34,400 more, SpaceX isn’t anywhere close to hitting the brakes.