Summary:
SpaceX aims to begin deploying its next-generation Starlink satellites in mid-2027 using its new Starship rocket, with plans to launch around 1,200 satellites within six months to expand global coverage. Currently operating nearly 10,000 satellites mainly via Falcon 9, Starlink is expected to generate $9 billion in revenue in 2026. The company is also rebranding its direct-to-cell service as Starlink Mobile, which now uses 650 satellites and serves 10 million monthly users, projected to exceed 25 million by end-2026. Despite earlier development challenges, Starship is preparing for its next upgraded test flight, underscoring SpaceX’s commitment to delivering high-speed global internet from space.
SpaceX plans to start launching its next-generation Starlink satellites in mid-2027, representing a major enhancement of its worldwide satellite internet infrastructure. The deployment will utilize the company’s new Starship rocket and is designed to significantly accelerate constellation growth, with approximately 1,200 satellites expected to be sent into orbit within six months to establish global coverage.
At present, Starlink is the world’s largest satellite-based internet network, with close to 10,000 satellites already in orbit, launched primarily aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9. With Starship, each mission will be capable of carrying as many as 50 larger and more advanced satellites, allowing for quicker network scaling and improved service in previously hard-to-reach areas, including polar regions.
Starlink is forecast to contribute $9 billion in revenue to SpaceX in 2026. In parallel, the company is renaming its direct-to-cell Starlink service as Starlink Mobile. This offering currently relies on 650 satellites and supports 10 million monthly active users, a figure projected to exceed 25 million by the end of 2026.
Although Starship encountered development hurdles in 2025, the rocket is gearing up for its next test flight featuring design upgrades. The planned expansion highlights SpaceX’s ongoing efforts to provide fast, space-based internet access on a truly global scale.
