SpaceX wants to multiply launches and targets 10,000 space missions per year

Starship spacecraft in a photo released by SpaceX on October 13, 2025
Disclosure/SpaceX
SpaceX intends to reach 10,000 launches per year within five years, but United States authorities say the company will need to demonstrate more safety and reliability before receiving authorization for this expansion.
The statement was made on Wednesday (20) by the head of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Bryan Bedford.
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According to Bedford, he recently met with the president of SpaceX, Gwynne Shotwell, who presented the company's ambitious goal. In 2025, the company carried out 170 launches and placed around 2,500 satellites in orbit.
According to the head of the FAA, Shotwell described a plan for SpaceX to reach the mark of 10 thousand annual launches in the next five years.
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In an interview with Forbes magazine released this week, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk stated that the company already has 10 thousand satellites into orbit and intends to launch another 10,000 communications satellites per year, although he did not provide a deadline for achieving this goal.
After participating in a forum, Bedford stated that the FAA will need to trust the company's operations more before approving growth of this magnitude.
"We need to see much more reliability," the executive told journalists.
The FAA is responsible for authorizing all commercial space launches in the United States. The agency also establishes restrictions to prevent launches or possible accidents from interfering with passenger air traffic.
According to Bedford, the meeting with SpaceX focused on discussing current obstacles and what will be needed to accommodate such a high volume of space missions in the future.
SpaceX did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Bedford also stated that he had a "very frank" conversation with Shotwell and highlighted that both the agency and the company will need to adapt to make this expansion possible.
The The head of the FAA also recalled that US President Donald Trump wants to take astronauts to the Moon before 2028. According to him, achieving this goal will require greater collaboration between the government and the private sector.
Bedford added that the FAA is not yet the main obstacle to increasing space launches, but warned that this could change in the future if the body does not receive more resources and specialized personnel.
He also stated that the agency analyzes data from previous missions to better understand the risks involved.
In some cases, for safety reasons, the FAA needs to restrict commercial flights in certain regions during launches, which can cause impacts on air traffic.
In January, SpaceX said it plans to create a network of up to 1 million satellites around the Earth to provide solar energy to data centers focused on artificial intelligence.

Source: G1