Elon Musk's Starlink Expands Satellite Network Amid Regulatory Challenges
Starlink launched its first 60 satellites on 23 May 2019, and by 2021 there were over 1,600 satellites in orbit. The majority of satellites in space were part of Starlink by December 2024, with more than 9,000 active satellites reported by December 2025. The company plans to expand its satellite constellation to as many as 42,000 in the coming years.
Sky News analysis indicates that Starlink serves about 0.72% of internet users worldwide, roughly 1 in 140 people, a significant rise from about 1 in 140,000 four years earlier. Despite this growth, 21% of Starlink users operate in countries where the service is not licensed. This unauthorized use includes instances such as RSF fighters in Sudan utilizing Starlink terminals and Myanmar deactivating approximately 2,500 terminals following an investigation.
Regulators are struggling to keep pace with the rapid expansion; the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has described the situation as a 'single company problem,' highlighting licensing and regulatory gaps in several countries.
Starlink has also played a role in disaster response efforts, notably after Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica, where free service and more than 600 terminals were deployed to aid recovery.
SpaceX, Elon Musk's aerospace company, dominates the rocket launch market. Its Falcon 9 rocket is noted for being cost-effective—about one-third the cost of an Atlas V—and reusable. Falcon 9 supports numerous launches for clients including the US military, NASA, Starlink itself, and competitors such as Amazon Leo and Eutelsat. SpaceX accounts for the majority of global rocket launches.
Looking ahead, Musk's ambitious Starship project aims to support Mars exploration, with a first uncrewed Mars flight planned for the end of next year.
