To put that into perspective, only about 2,000 artificial satellites currently orbit Earth, and only 9,000 have ever been launched in all of history, according to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs.

SpaceX launched its first two Starlink test craft, named TinTinA and TinTinB, in 2018. The mission went smoothly. Based on initial data, the company asked regulators for its fleet to be allowed to operate at lower altitudes than originally planned, and the FCC agreed.

The first 60 Starlink satellites were launched on May 23, 2019, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The satellites successfully reached their operational altitude of 340 miles (550 kilometers) — low enough to get pulled down to Earth by atmospheric drag in a few years so that they don't become space junk once they die[1]. Elon Musk's SpaceX has since launched its fourth batch of 'Starlink' space internet satellites - taking the total to 240.

These satellites form a constellation of thousands of satellites, designed to provide low-cost broadband internet service from low Earth orbit. Its goal is to beam superfast internet into our homes from space. Satellite internet has suffered from high latency and unreliable connections even though satellite internet has been around for a while.

Starlink is different. SpaceX says putting a 'constellation' of satellites in low earth orbit would provide high-speed, cable-like internet all over the world.

The company recently filed plans with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to launch 4,425 satellites into orbit above the Earth - three times as many that are currently in operation.

'Once fully deployed, the SpaceX system will pass over virtually all parts of the Earth's surface and therefore, in principle, have the ability to provide ubiquitous global service,' the firm said. 'Every point on the Earth's surface will see, at all times, a SpaceX satellite.'

References

1. Starlink: SpaceX's satellite internet project https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-satellites.html Jan 2020.
2. WHAT IS STARLINK AND WHAT ARE ITS GOALS? https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/fb-5417979/WHAT-STARLINK-GOAL.html