SpaceX's indispensable role in Elon Musk's empire is driven by Starlink's rapid expansion and influence.

SpaceX's launches are frequently recognized, but the satellites sent to space are equally significant for the company. Starlink, SpaceX's solution, aims to provide global, high-speed internet coverage through a network of thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), 342 miles above the Earth's surface.

Since its launch in 2019, SpaceX's Starlink service has experienced rapid growth, with more than 2 million active customers and availability in all seven continents and over 60 countries.

Starlink's rapid growth to 2 million subscribers in just two years is uncharacteristic compared to the slow pace of previous satellite service providers, which took a decade to reach between 500,000 to 1 million subscribers, says Brent Prokosh, a Senior Affiliate Consultant at Euroconsult.

The global market for consumer satellite services was valued at over $92 billion in 2022, and Starlink could potentially capture a significant portion of this market. Initially designed for the consumer market, Starlink's offerings have since been expanded to serve enterprise customers, including those in the maritime and aviation industries.

The significance of Starlink to SpaceX as a company is crucial. Euroconsult predicts that by the end of 2023, Starlink could contribute up to 40% of SpaceX's total business, generating over $3 billion.

Starlink has been commended for its capacity to link distant regions with dependable internet access. Additionally, the service has become crucial in regions affected by natural calamities and, most recently, during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Kari Bingen, Director of the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, explains that the primary advantage of Starlink is its ability to facilitate communication. It enables both the military and civilians to maintain contact with the outside world, allowing the military to communicate with one another and provide command and control instructions to their forces.

While some critics condemn Starlink's growing influence as Musk meddling in geopolitics, the scientific community has its own concerns.

The International Astronomical Union's Interim General Secretary, Piero Benvenuti, stated that the astronomical community was concerned about the first launch of the Starlink satellite a few years ago due to the immediate perception of interference to both optical and radio observations caused by the projection of a full constellation of tens of thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit.

Watch the video to learn about Starlink's rapid growth and whether it can sustain its expansion.