SpaceX extended its annual launch record on Tuesday with the successful deployment of 29 Starlink satellites, underscoring the company’s growing lead in the commercial spaceflight industry.
A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 8:31 p.m. EST on Nov. 5 (0131 GMT on Nov. 6) from Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The launch marked SpaceX’s 141st Falcon 9 mission and 146th overall for 2025, continuing its trend of increasing flight cadence each year since 2019.
The mission carried another batch of satellites for the company’s Starlink broadband network, which has driven most of SpaceX’s launches in recent years. More than 100 of this year’s flights have been dedicated to building out the constellation, which now exceeds 8,800 operational satellites providing global internet coverage.
The Falcon 9’s first-stage booster, designated B1094, completed its fifth flight after previously supporting three missions to the International Space Station and one Starlink launch. Following stage separation, the booster landed successfully on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic Ocean about eight and a half minutes after liftoff.
The rocket’s upper stage placed the 29 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit about an hour after launch. With five suborbital Starship test flights also conducted this year, SpaceX continues to set new benchmarks in both launch frequency and reusability, reinforcing its leadership in the global launch market.
