SpaceX currently operates close to 6,500 Starlink satellites in orbit and has plans to loft thousands more. The satellites have been used to provide vital communications to hard-hit areas following natural disasters such as Hurricane Helene or in the wake of conflicts such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Wednesday evening under clear skies over Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 40, SpaceX launched its latest batch of Starlink internet satellites right on schedule. The 5:10 p.m. EDT Falcon 9 launch was remarkably quiet,