SpaceX started 2025 by practically turning rocket launches into a weekly (sometimes almost daily) routine. In the first quarter alone, Elon Musk’s team managed 36 Falcon 9 launches, outpacing last year’s cadence by 16%. (Yes, 36 launches in three months — they’re basically carpooling to orbit at this point.) This launch frenzy, largely driven by Starlink satellite deployments, put SpaceX far ahead of any competition — even China came in a distant second with 17 launches in Q1.
All those launches meant a lot of satellites: SpaceX sent up 573 new Starlink satellites in Q1, expanding its already massive internet constellation. The result? Over 5 million users worldwide now connect via Starlink, growing by around 200k users each month. They even rolled out direct-to-cell phone service in beta with a major carrier, letting people text from remote wilderness via satellite. Being “off the grid” is officially canceled.
But it wasn’t all smooth orbiting. The Starship mega-rocket — SpaceX’s towering, shiny vehicle built to take us to the Moon and Mars — continued its dramatic test program (emphasis on dramatic). In true rocket gossip fashion, Starship had two high-profile test flights in early 2025 that ended with mid-air fireworks. Both Flight 7 (January) and Flight 8 (March) saw the vehicle get about 8 minutes into flight before things went sideways — literally. Engines were lost, the Starship started tumbling, and boom — another explosive finale.
The silver lining? The enormous Super Heavy boosters did great — they powered Starship to the skies and even stuck their landings back at the launch tower, successfully touching down both times. SpaceX is already refurbishing one of those recovered boosters for reuse, proving the lower stage is as reusable as advertised. So, while the Starship upper stage is still learning to behave, its booster is the straight-A student of the class.
Aside from Starship’s soap opera, SpaceX had plenty of high notes. Their Crew Dragon spacecraft chalked up new achievements (including regular ISS crew rotations and private missions), and the Falcon 9 fleet saw boosters reused up to 15+ times. One even survived an engine bay fire after landing — only to tip over later. Oops. But hey, at this point, SpaceX is launching so often, they probably consider it a rounding error.
And now, onto their favorite sparring partner in the space arena: Blue Origin.
Blue Origin: Big Comebacks, Bigger Rockets, and a Pop Star in Space
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin had a year that can only be described as “eventful.” First up, Blue Origin finally achieved a long-awaited milestone: New Glenn — their enormous orbital rocket — made its debut launch to orbit. This was Blue Origin’s first time reaching orbit, and they did it on the very first try. The launch successfully delivered its test payload, and they celebrated accordingly.
However, the mission wasn’t all triumph. In a classic “good news, bad news” twist, New Glenn’s gigantic first-stage booster failed to stick its landing on the ocean barge. The plan was to land that reusable booster on a ship (named Jacklyn, after Bezos’s mom) — but telemetry cut out during descent, and they later confirmed the booster was lost at sea. Still, the orbit achievement was the main goal, and they nailed that part.
Blue Origin also relaunched their suborbital tourism business in style. After a hiatus, New Shepard took flight again — and brought some famous friends. In April 2025, Blue Origin flew an all-female crew of six on a suborbital trip, including aerospace trailblazers, a TV icon, and pop superstar Katy Perry. Yes, “Firework” literally became a firework. This marked the first all-woman crew to space, with a brief trip past the Kármán line and back.
It was Blue Origin’s 11th human spaceflight, and a triumphant return to crewed launches after a grounding in 2022 due to engine issues. The fix worked, and the crew had their few minutes of weightlessness and a view of Earth that most of us only dream about. Katy Perry in zero-G? That’s one way to launch a comeback album.
Blue Origin also landed a major NASA contract to build a lunar lander for Artemis V — finally clinching the deal after losing the earlier competition to SpaceX. The new Blue Moon lander is expected to take astronauts to the Moon later this decade. It’s a bit of poetic justice after years of rivalry. Now NASA has two horses in the race — and both are gunning for lunar glory.
Meanwhile, Blue’s BE-4 engines aren’t just powering New Glenn — they’re also fueling ULA’s Vulcan rocket. Yep, Bezos’s company is literally helping launch Amazon’s satellites while supplying a competitor. Small world, big orbit.
Speaking of satellites, Amazon’s Project Kuiper is heating up its own Starlink rivalry. They launched prototype Kuiper satellites and are preparing to send up 27 operational ones. It’s Starlink vs. Kuiper for broadband domination. Musk has the head start, but Bezos has deep pockets. The billionaire broadband battle continues.
The Rest of the Space Pack: Rocket Lab, Virgin Galactic, and More
SpaceX and Blue Origin might grab the headlines, but the rest of the industry had some juicy stories too:
- Rocket Lab kept launching their Electron rocket and is prepping their bigger, reusable Neutron rocket for launch in 2025. They even acquired a barge for booster recovery named “Return on Investment.” Peak engineer humor.
- Virgin Galactic took a break from flying to upgrade their spaceplanes. After flying commercial missions in 2023 and 2024, they paused in 2025 to build a new fleet. So while Blue Origin flew Katy Perry, Virgin was in the garage, wrenching on Unity.
- Relativity Space continued developing their 3D-printed, fully reusable Terran R rocket. No launches in 2025, but big progress behind the scenes. Cue the Rocky training montage.
- Firefly Aerospace built momentum after a 24-hour responsive launch for the U.S. Space Force in 2023. In 2025, they’re expanding and working on bigger rockets with Northrop Grumman. Think underdog with hustle.
- Axiom Space continued sending private astronauts to the ISS and building commercial modules. Space Airbnb is a thing now, and soon they’ll have their own orbital condo.
- Europe’s Ariane 6 is still delayed. Virgin Orbit is gone. Global startups keep trying to reach orbit, with varying levels of boom. The space SPAC craze has cooled, but funding still flows to the proven players.
The Final Countdown (of 2025)
The theme of 2025? Collaboration amid fierce competition. SpaceX and Blue Origin both hold major NASA contracts. Starlink and Kuiper are battling for orbital Wi-Fi supremacy. Private stations, reusable rockets, celebrity astronauts — the space dream is alive, and it’s got style.
Rocket launches have become common, mega-constellations are growing fast, and two mega-rockets (Starship and New Glenn) are finally slugging it out in real time. What a year to be a space nerd.
And honestly? We’re just getting started.
Art Prompt:
A dynamic Impressionist-style painting of a futuristic rocket launch site at dawn, with soft pastel sky hues and golden sunlight diffusing through gentle clouds. The scene is energetic yet dreamy: blurred, vibrant brushstrokes capture a towering rocket lifting off, its fiery plume blending into the morning light. In the foreground, silhouettes of engineers watch in awe, suggested with loose, expressive strokes. The overall mood is optimistic and whimsical, conveying the excitement of new frontiers with the delicate, light-infused touch of an Impressionist masterpiece.