SpaceX is deploying Starlink satellites faster than ever, running ahead of the record-setting pace it set the previous year. In the first half of 2026 the company launched 1,589 satellites into low-Earth orbit, according to launch data compiled by Jonathan McDowell's satellite tracker, roughly 100 more than the 1,489 it had deployed by the same point in 2025. The milestone underlines SpaceX's growing dominance of the satellite internet market.

The pace builds on an already record-breaking 2025, when SpaceX deployed 3,180 Starlink satellites in total. Since the constellation began, the company has launched over 12,400 satellites, with nearly 11,000 still operational. By comparison, Amazon's fledgling Leo service has deployed only around 400 satellites in the past 15 months, en route to a planned 3,232. The Verge notes that SpaceX's reusable Falcon 9 rocket can effectively deploy a Leo-sized constellation every year.