SpaceX launches 28 more Starlink satellites into orbit

SpaceX successfully launched another batch of its Starlink internet satellites into orbit late at night on April 5, continuing the rapid expansion of its broadband megaconstellation.

The mission lifted off at 11:07 p.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, as a Falcon 9 rocket carried 28 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO), Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Roughly eight minutes after liftoff, the rocket’s reusable first stage completed a pinpoint landing on the drone ship Just Read the Instructions, stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

According to SpaceX, this marked the 19th successful launch and landing for this particular Falcon 9 booster—another testament to the company’s emphasis on rocket reusability.

The upper stage of the rocket deployed the satellites about an hour after launch, with confirmation announced via the company’s X (formerly Twitter) account.

This mission was the 39th Falcon 9 launch of 2025, two-thirds of which have been dedicated to building out the Starlink network. With this latest batch, the Starlink constellation now includes over 7,100 active satellites, according to astrophysicist and satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell.

SpaceX's Starlink project aims to provide high-speed, low-latency internet access to underserved and remote regions across the globe. The constellation continues to grow rapidly, solidifying its status as the largest satellite network in orbit.

By Khagan Isayev