SpaceX has launched its 17th round of Starlink satellites, brining the total number to 1,015.
Starlink is a satellite constellation aimed at bringing internet access to underserved communities around the world. The company’s service is available in some parts of the US, and recently became available in the UK, its first international market.
Unlike traditional satellite internet, Starlink’s low-Earth orbit allows it to provide speeds and latency that rival Earth-bound broadband. What’s more, the service is reasonably priced, making it an ideal option for people who have traditionally struggled to have reliable internet access.
With today’s launch, Starlink now has over a 1,000 satellites in orbit. While impressive, it’s still far short of the 12,000 satellites the company is already approved to launch, or the additional 30,000 — for a total of 42,000 — the company hopes to eventually send up.