On July 26, 2025, the orbital population of Earth grew once again as SpaceX successfully launched 28 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit (LEO). This mission, designated Starlink Group 10-26, lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 5:01 a.m. EDT (0901 GMT / 2:31 p.m. IST). With this, the company continues its rapid deployment of satellite infrastructure that is reshaping both the skies above us and global communications on the ground.
The launch was carried out using a Falcon 9 rocket, equipped with a first-stage booster (B1078) that has now completed 22 missions—a remarkable achievement in reusable spaceflight. Just around two minutes into the flight, the rocket’s first stage broke away from the upper stage and began its journey back to Earth. It touched down safely on the autonomous droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas, waiting in the Atlantic Ocean. This recovery adds to SpaceX’s growing record of successful landings, further solidifying its lead in rocket reusability.
Roughly an hour after liftoff, SpaceX confirmed that all 28 Starlink v2 Mini satellites had been successfully deployed into orbit. These satellites are now part of a growing constellation that already includes over 8,000 operational Starlink units. With approval to launch up to 12,000 and applications pending for even more, SpaceX is building the most extensive commercial satellite network in history.
The Expanding Architecture of Low-Earth Orbit
This launch isn’t just about providing internet to hard-to-reach places. It’s about how near-Earth space is becoming an active layer of human infrastructure, one made of satellites, signal relays, and orbital maneuvers. SpaceX’s Starlink program plays a central role in this transformation.
Each Starlink satellite is placed in a carefully managed orbital shell, operating at altitudes between 340 and 550 kilometers. These low orbits allow for lower latency and faster communication speeds compared to traditional geostationary satellites. However, it also means frequent launches and constant replenishment, as satellites in these orbits deorbit within a few years without propulsion.
The Starlink v2 Mini models launched on this mission represent an upgrade over earlier versions. These satellites are designed for higher throughput, better thermal control, and improved communication payloads. The aim is to increase total network capacity while minimizing space congestion and radio interference. Their placement is coordinated with the U.S. Space Force and global tracking networks to avoid orbital collisions and maintain long-term space safety.
Interestingly, this launch came just two days after a temporary global Starlink service outage, caused by a failure in internal software services. The issue, which lasted approximately 2.5 hours, was quickly resolved. SpaceX issued an update stating that services were restored and apologized for the interruption.
From a systems perspective, the ability to recover from a major software fault and execute a flawless orbital launch within 48 hours shows how resilient modern space operations have become. Starlink now serves over 6 million users globally, including 2 million in the U.S. Its growing presence isn’t just technical—it’s strategic. Starlink terminals are now used in aviation, shipping, disaster response, and defense.
Further proving this point, SpaceX is preparing to launch another 24 satellites just hours after this mission, this time from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. That mission is scheduled for 8:55 p.m. PDT (11:55 p.m. EDT / 0355 GMT on July 27). A dual-launch day for a single company would have been unthinkable a decade ago. Today, it’s just part of how low-Earth orbit is being filled, structured, and commercialised.
This new orbital reality brings challenges too. Space traffic management, satellite deconfliction, radio spectrum coordination, and debris mitigation are no longer theoretical problems. They are real-time concerns that agencies and private operators must address every day. Starlink, while a technical success, also represents one of the clearest examples of how commercial entities now shape space as an active environment.
Scipuz’s Take
Each Starlink launch isn’t just a data point—it’s a step toward space becoming part of everyday infrastructure. What we’re watching is the layering of a digital web above our planet, with satellites that serve, adapt, and multiply faster than any network in history.
Saturday’s mission showed that SpaceX is not only launching satellites, it’s managing a living orbital system—recovering boosters, deploying upgraded payloads, and responding to service issues with remarkable agility.
And with another launch lined up just hours later, it’s clear: space isn’t a distant frontier anymore—it’s operational territory. The Earth’s orbit is no longer just a scientific playground. It’s becoming the backbone of how we connect, communicate, and respond as a planet.
