SpaceX Launches Its 700th Falcon 9 Rocket Mission as October Closes

At a glance

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 27 Starlink satellites late on the last night of October. The launch brought the Falcon 9's total number of launches to 700. SpaceX made 11 launches in total that month.

Key points

1. 1

   The first-stage booster on this launch was on its eighteenth flight and landed safely on a drone ship at sea.

2. 2

   SpaceX is gradually scaling back its Falcon 9 business and focusing on Starship, its large next-generation rocket.

3. 3

   Over the past 12 months, the number of launches fell from a peak of 171 in December 2025 to below 150.

4. 4

   SpaceX plans to begin regular orbital flights of Starship in 2027.

Why it matters

Even with many launches, the shift in SpaceX's main rocket offers a clue about where the space industry is heading.