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SpaceX launches two Starlink missions just over 24 hours apart
Last week, SpaceX launched two Starlink missions from Florida just over 24 hours apart, sending a total of 46 satellites to orbit.
The missions took place from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center and Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, respectively.
Both missions were part of the Group 6 Starlink shell (Group 51 and 52) and were inserted into an orbit with a 43-degree orbital inclination.
The first launch, which took place from LC-39A, was carried out by Falcon 9 Booster 1077, which completed its 12th flight to space and back. B1077 last flew 38 days prior to this mission and has now safely launched 4 Humans, 2 ISS resupply missions, a GPS satellite, 2 telecommunications satellites, and 6 Starlink batches.
Watch as Falcon 9 launches @Starlink satellites to orbit https://t.co/CRHHeGOnd3
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 17, 2024
B1077 safely landed on the droneship ‘Just Read the Instructions’ following its portion of the flight and has already returned to Port Canaveral ahead of refurbishment.
The second launch, which was the 40th of the year for SpaceX, took place from SLC-40 and featured Booster 1080 which completed its 7th flight. B1080 had a relatively quick turnaround, last flying 28 days prior. B1080 made a smooth landing on the droneship ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’ and has also returned to Port Canaveral for eventual refurbishment and its next mission.
Watch Falcon 9 launch 23 @Starlink satellites to orbit https://t.co/h5OLKuqLuH
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 18, 2024
This booster has now safely launched 8 Humans, 1 ISS resupply mission, the Euclid space telescope, and 3 Starlink missions.
This mission had a bit of a special guest: two U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors were in town for a local airshow and were flying over Cape Canaveral Space Force Station right at lift-off. As the Falcon 9 climbed, the F-22 Raptors hit their afterburners and climbed with the Falcon 9 for a short period before the rocket easily won the “race.” The F-22 Demonstration team released an awesome video, which you can watch below.
View this post on Instagram
SpaceX is already gearing up for its 41st mission of the year. Another Starlink batch is scheduled to launch from SLC-40 on Tuesday evening no earlier than 6:15 pm ET and has the usual multi-hour window to account for weather or technical delays.
Questions or comments? Shoot me an email at rangle@teslarati.com, or Tweet me @RDAnglePhoto.
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.
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Tesla Giga Nevada celebrates production of 6 millionth drive unit
To celebrate the milestone, the Giga Nevada team gathered for a celebratory group photo.
Tesla’s Giga Nevada has reached an impressive milestone, producing its 6 millionth drive unit as 2925 came to a close.
To celebrate the milestone, the Giga Nevada team gathered for a celebratory group photo.
6 million drive units
The achievement was shared by the official Tesla Manufacturing account on social media platform X. “Congratulations to the Giga Nevada team for producing their 6 millionth Drive Unit!” Tesla wrote.
The photo showed numerous factory workers assembled on the production floor, proudly holding golden balloons that spelled out “6000000″ in front of drive unit assembly stations. Elon Musk gave credit to the Giga Nevada team, writing, “Congrats on 6M drive units!” in a post on X.
Giga Nevada’s essential role
Giga Nevada produces drive units, battery packs, and energy products. The facility has been a cornerstone of Tesla’s scaling since opening, and it was the crucial facility that ultimately enabled Tesla to ramp the Model 3 and Model Y. Even today, it serves as Tesla’s core hub for battery and drivetrain components for vehicles that are produced in the United States.
Giga Nevada is expected to support Tesla’s ambitious 2026 targets, including the launch of vehicles like the Tesla Semi and the Cybercab. Tesla will have a very busy 2026, and based on Giga Nevada’s activities so far, it appears that the facility will be equally busy as well.
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Tesla Supercharger network delivers record 6.7 TWh in 2025
The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets.
Tesla’s Supercharger Network had its biggest year ever in 2025, delivering a record 6.7 TWh of electricity to vehicles worldwide.
To celebrate its busy year, the official @TeslaCharging account shared an infographic showing the Supercharger Network’s growth from near-zero in 2012 to this year’s impressive milestone.
Record 6.7 TWh delivered in 2025
The bar chart shows steady Supercharger energy delivery increases since 2012. Based on the graphic, the Supercharger Network started small in the mid-2010s and accelerated sharply after 2019, when the Model 3 was going mainstream.
Each year from 2020 onward showed significantly more energy delivery, with 2025’s four quarters combining for the highest total yet at 6.7 TWh.
This energy powered millions of charging sessions across Tesla’s growing fleet of vehicles worldwide. The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets. This makes the Supercharger Network loved not just by Tesla owners but EV drivers as a whole.
Resilience after Supercharger team changes
2025’s record energy delivery comes despite earlier 2024 layoffs on the Supercharger team, which sparked concerns about the system’s expansion pace. Max de Zegher, Tesla Director of Charging North America, also highlighted that “Outside China, Superchargers delivered more energy than all other fast chargers combined.”
Longtime Tesla owner and FSD tester Whole Mars Catalog noted the achievement as proof of continued momentum post-layoffs. At the time of the Supercharger team’s layoffs in 2024, numerous critics were claiming that Elon Musk was halting the network’s expansion altogether, and that the team only remained because the adults in the room convinced the juvenile CEO to relent.
Such a scenario, at least based on the graphic posted by the Tesla Charging team on X, seems highly implausible.
Starlink achieves major milestones in 2025 progress report
Tesla Giga Nevada celebrates production of 6 millionth drive unit
