SpaceX
SpaceX reveals Falcon Heavy Block 5 in first official photo, timelapse
SpaceX has revealed the first official media (including a timelapse video) of its Falcon Heavy Block 5 rocket, including one of the most spectacular photos of Falcon Heavy (and the Falcon family in general, for that matter) ever.
Over a period of 24-48 hours in early April, SpaceX technicians and engineers completed Falcon Heavy Flight 2’s final integration, attaching the side boosters to the center core and the rocket’s upper stage to its interstage. After assembled, cranes lifted the massive rocket – likely weighing upwards of 75 metric tons (165,000 lb) – and carefully installed it on Pad 39A’s transporter/erector (T/E), a large mobile structure that houses hold-down clamps and fueling/communications hardware, as well as the ability to lift the rocket vertical and horizontal. Soon after, the rocket rolled out to Pad 39A and performed its first integrated static fire, paving the way for a launch date as early as 6:35 pm EDT (22:35 UTC), April 9th.
Alongside the unique
Offered in 4K resolution, the photo is perhaps the most detailed official look yet at a Block 5 rocket, particularly so for a view of the engine section, octaweb, and heat shielding of not one but four boosters. Immediately noticeable is an intriguing green patina present on each Falcon Heavy booster’s shield heat shield structure, sometimes described (humorously) as the dance floor. Prior to these three boosters, the same structure of other Falcon 9 Block 5 boosters has never featured the same patina, indicating that it is either a distinct modification (improved shielding, perhaps) or – more likely – a vestige of manufacturing that disappears during each Block 5 booster’s first high-speed reentry. In other words, it might be a patina or an anti-corrosion coating that is literally burned off in the process of landing.
Additionally, the complex mechanisms connecting the three Falcon 9-like boosters are also easily visible. Rough visual comparisons between the mechanisms present on Falcon Heavy Flight 1 and 2 suggest that they are largely unchanged. Their ultimate job is to safely, reliably, and repeatedly transfer truly horrifying loads – at times, the majority of the thrust of both side boosters – with as little mass and aerodynamic disruption as possible, all while still successfully separating the three boosters and retracting thereafter. In a press conference shortly after Falcon Heavy’s successful launch debut, Musk repeatedly acknowledged that the additional hardware required – aside from a complete redesign for the center core – was an extraordinary engineering challenge, far harder than he had expected it would be.
Additionally, SpaceX confirmed that the fourth booster present inside 39A’s main hangar was Falcon 9 B1051, the same rocket that launched Crew Dragon into orbit for the first time one month ago. According to the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), B1051 is being refurbished for its Radarsat Constellation Mission (RCM), a trio of satellites planned to launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) no earlier than May 2019. Over the course of the Falcon Heavy integration timelapse, B1051 can be seen rotating on its rocket rotisserie as technicians work to rapidly turn the rocket around for its second launch.
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Elon Musk
Starlink achieves major milestones in 2025 progress report
Starlink wrapped up 2025 with impressive growth, adding more than 4.6 million new active customers and expanding service to 35 additional countries, territories, and markets.
Starlink wrapped up 2025 with impressive growth, adding more than 4.6 million new active customers and expanding service to 35 additional countries, territories, and markets. The company also completed deployment of its first-generation Direct to Cell constellation, launching over 650 satellites in just 18 months to enable cellular connectivity.
SpaceX highlighted Starlink’s impressive 2025 progress in an extensive report.
Key achievements from Starlink’s 2025 Progress
Starlink connected over 4.6 million new customers with high-speed internet while bringing service to 35 more regions worldwide in 2025. Starlink is now connecting 9.2 million people worldwide. The service achieved this just weeks after hitting its 8 million customer milestone.
Starlink is now available in 155 markets, including areas that are unreachable by traditional ISPs. As per SpaceX, Starlink has also provided over 21 million airline passengers and 20 million cruise passengers with reliable high-speed internet connectivity during their travels.
Starlink Direct to Cell
Starlink’s Direct to Cell constellation, more than 650 satellites strong, has already connected over 12 million people at least once, marking a breakthrough in global mobile coverage.
Starlink Direct to Cell is currently rolled out to 22 countries and 6 continents, with over 6 million monthly customers. Starlink Direct to Cell also has 27 MNO partners to date.
“This year, SpaceX completed deployment of the first generation of the Starlink Direct to Cell constellation, with more than 650 satellites launched to low-Earth orbit in just 18 months. Starlink Direct to Cell has connected more than 12 million people, and counting, at least once, providing life-saving connectivity when people need it most,” SpaceX wrote.
Elon Musk
Starlink passes 9 million active customers just weeks after hitting 8 million
The milestone highlights the accelerating growth of Starlink, which has now been adding over 20,000 new users per day.
SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service has continued its rapid global expansion, surpassing 9 million active customers just weeks after crossing the 8 million mark.
The milestone highlights the accelerating growth of Starlink, which has now been adding over 20,000 new users per day.
9 million customers
In a post on X, SpaceX stated that Starlink now serves over 9 million active users across 155 countries, territories, and markets. The company reached 8 million customers in early November, meaning it added roughly 1 million subscribers in under seven weeks, or about 21,275 new users on average per day.
“Starlink is connecting more than 9M active customers with high-speed internet across 155 countries, territories, and many other markets,” Starlink wrote in a post on its official X account. SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell also celebrated the milestone on X. “A huge thank you to all of our customers and congrats to the Starlink team for such an incredible product,” she wrote.
That growth rate reflects both rising demand for broadband in underserved regions and Starlink’s expanding satellite constellation, which now includes more than 9,000 low-Earth-orbit satellites designed to deliver high-speed, low-latency internet worldwide.
Starlink’s momentum
Starlink’s momentum has been building up. SpaceX reported 4.6 million Starlink customers in December 2024, followed by 7 million by August 2025, and 8 million customers in November. Independent data also suggests Starlink usage is rising sharply, with Cloudflare reporting that global web traffic from Starlink users more than doubled in 2025, as noted in an Insider report.
Starlink’s momentum is increasingly tied to SpaceX’s broader financial outlook. Elon Musk has said the satellite network is “by far” the company’s largest revenue driver, and reports suggest SpaceX may be positioning itself for an initial public offering as soon as next year, with valuations estimated as high as $1.5 trillion. Musk has also suggested in the past that Starlink could have its own IPO in the future.
SpaceX employees, including its CEO Elon Musk, shaded American Airlines on social media this past weekend due to the company’s reported talks with Amazon’s Starlink rival, Leo.
Starlink has been adopted by several airlines, including United Airlines, Qatar Airways, Hawaiian Airlines, WestJet, Air France, airBaltic, and others. It has gained notoriety as an extremely solid, dependable, and reliable option for airline travel, as traditional options frequently cause users to lose connection to the internet.
Many airlines have made the switch, while others continue to mull the options available to them. American Airlines is one of them.
A report from Bloomberg indicates the airline is thinking of going with a Starlink rival owned by Amazon, called Leo. It was previously referred to as Project Kuiper.
American CEO Robert Isom said (via Bloomberg):
“While there’s Starlink, there are other low-Earth-orbit satellite opportunities that we can look at. We’re making sure that American is going to have what our customers need.”
Isom also said American has been in touch with Amazon about installing Leo on its aircraft, but he would not reveal the status of any discussions with the company.
The report caught the attention of Michael Nicolls, the Vice President of Starlink Engineering at SpaceX, who said:
“Only fly on airlines with good connectivity… and only one source of good connectivity at the moment…”
CEO Elon Musk replied to Nicolls by stating that American Airlines risks losing “a lot of customers if their connectivity solution fails.”
American Airlines will lose a lot of customers if their connectivity solution fails
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 14, 2025
There are over 8,000 Starlink satellites in orbit currently, offering internet coverage in over 150 countries and territories globally. SpaceX expands its array of satellites nearly every week with launches from California and Florida, aiming to offer internet access to everyone across the globe.
Currently, the company is focusing on expanding into new markets, such as Africa and Asia.
Starlink achieves major milestones in 2025 progress report
Giga Nevada celebrates production of 6 millionth drive unit
