**SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Rocket Launches for 125th Time This Year**

*By Dwaipayan Roy | October 4, 2025, 10:18 AM*

SpaceX has reached a remarkable milestone by launching its Falcon 9 rocket for the 125th time in 2025. The latest mission lifted off from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base yesterday at 10:06 AM EDT (7:36 PM IST).

The Falcon 9 carried a payload of 28 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO), advancing SpaceX’s ongoing effort to expand its satellite internet constellation.

**Successful Booster Landing**

The rocket’s first stage booster made a successful return to Earth, landing on SpaceX’s droneship *Of Course I Still Love You* stationed in the Pacific Ocean. This booster, designated B1097, completed its second launch and landing on this mission. Its previous flight also supported a Starlink deployment.

**Growing Starlink Satellite Constellation**

Starlink launches continue to dominate Falcon 9’s manifest; over 70% of Falcon 9 launches in 2025 have been dedicated to building the world’s largest satellite constellation. Currently, there are more than 8,500 active Starlink satellites orbiting the Earth.

According to the European Space Agency, approximately 12,500 operational satellites of any kind are in orbit today. This means that two out of every three functional satellites in space belong to Starlink—a proportion that is expected to increase further as deployment continues.

SpaceX’s expanding Starlink network represents a significant leap forward in global satellite internet coverage and connectivity worldwide.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/science/new-milestone-for-spacex-s-falcon-9-rocket/story