On Tuesday night, May 6, SpaceX successfully launched another batch of Starlink satellites into space. The mission, named Starlink 6-93, carried 28 satellites aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The rocket lifted off at 9:17 p.m. EDT (0117 GMT on May 7) from Launch Complex 40.
This wasn’t just another launch; it marked the 470th Falcon 9 flight overall and the 53rd Falcon 9 mission of 2025, reflecting the breakneck pace at which SpaceX is expanding its Starlink internet constellation.
Smooth Launch, Precise Recovery
Approximately two and a half minutes into flight, the initial stage of the Falcon 9 rocket, one of its boosters called B1085, ceased engine fire and detached from the second stage. B1085 then landed back on Earth, executing a controlled descent before touching down successfully on the “Just Read the Instructions” droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.
This was the seventh time B1085 had flown, and the third time it supported a Starlink launch, highlighting SpaceX’s continued success with reusing rocket hardware.
Building a Global Internet Network
Meanwhile, the rocket’s upper stage continued its journey to low Earth orbit (LEO), where, about an hour into the flight, it deployed all 28 Starlink satellites as planned. Over the next few days, the satellites will adjust their positions in orbit to integrate into the larger Starlink network.
With this launch, SpaceX’s operational Starlink satellite count now exceeds 7,200.
Each satellite is roughly the size of a large table, not counting its solar panels, and is designed to deliver high-speed internet service almost anywhere in the world, except the polar regions, which are not yet covered.
“Starlink allows users to connect from nearly anywhere on the planet, provided they can point a receiver toward the sky,” the company says.
A Busy Year for SpaceX
The Starlink 6-93 mission is part of an ambitious launch campaign in 2025. SpaceX has now completed 36 Starlink missions this year alone, in addition to two test flights of its Starship megarocket, which is being developed for deep-space missions.
By reusing boosters and maintaining a rapid launch schedule, SpaceX is working to lower the cost of reaching orbit and expand access to space, all while building the world’s largest satellite internet network.
And if this pace continues, Tuesday night’s launch certainly won’t be the last Starlink mission we see this month.
