SpaceX Leads as BEAD Opens Doors for LEO Satellite Technology
As SpaceX leads in orbital launches, the $42.5B BEAD program could further bolster its role in global broadband expansion.
WASHINGTON, August 27, 2024 – SpaceX is set to deliver nearly 90% of all cargo – satellites, spacecraft, and equipment – launched into Earth's orbit this year, according to a statement from owner Elon Musk on his X microblogging platform Monday.
Most recently, the company launched 22 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit last Tuesday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. As part of the company’s ongoing effort to provide global internet access, these satellites joined SpaceX’s existing network of over 6,800 high-speed internet satellites, more than 5,200 of which are currently operational.
“SpaceX is doing a major launch every ~3 days now; expecting a launch every ~2 days in 2025,” Musk said in his X post. The data Musk quoted on X showed a sharp rise in SpaceX launches from 2020 onwards, culminating in an impressive 98 launches in 2023 and already 82 in 2024 as of August 26.
