Another Week, Another Stack of Rockets: A Canadian’s Take on SpaceX’s November Blitz

As a Canadian watching from a frosty balcony with a Tim’s in hand (no, not the syrup—coffee, thank you), it’s hard not to marvel at how SpaceX treats rocket launches like weekly grocery runs. While we’re shovelling snow, they’re stacking satellites—and apparently, that’s just Tuesday.

Starship: Bigger, Bolder, and Building Like Crazy

Starship’s momentum hasn’t slowed. At Kennedy Space Center, the Orbital Launch Mount (OLM) for Pad 39A has officially rolled into position—a major milestone for future Florida-based Starship launches. Meanwhile, at Starbase in Texas, Pad 1’s old launch tower is being dismantled to make way for Block 3 Starship operations. This isn’t just maintenance; it’s a full-scale evolution.

Elon Musk recently tweeted that “so many spaceships will be born in the Starbase Gigabay,” hinting at dramatically scaled production. He also suggested Starship is the only viable path to deploying solar-powered AI satellites at terawatt scale—an ambitious vision, even by his standards. While Flight 12 hasn’t launched yet, Ship 39 is already progressing through assembly, with key barrel sections moving to the production bay. It’s clear SpaceX isn’t waiting for perfect conditions—they’re building the future while the rest of us are still debating launch weather rules.

Starbase Gets a Makeover

Down in Boca Chica, Texas—better known to space fans as Starbase—the pace is relentless. Workers have begun demolishing the original Orbital Launch Mount at Pad 1 to prep for the next generation of Starship launches. At the same time, Pad 2 is inching closer to readiness, with mysterious test hardware like the “ibeproofin’” unit spotted rolling down Highway 4. (Yes, that’s really what it said.)

The Gigabay—the massive new production facility adjacent to the launch site—is now central to SpaceX’s strategy. If Musk’s tweets are any indication, this building will soon churn out Starships faster than most factories produce pickup trucks. And speaking of trucks: a growing fleet of Cybertrucks (made of the same stainless steel as Starship, naturally) now patrols the grounds. It’s not just branding—it’s engineering synergy with a side of Texas swagger.

Falcon 9: The Workhorse That Just Won’t Quit

While Starship grabs headlines, Falcon 9 quietly launched four Starlink missions this past week—from Cape Canaveral, Vandenberg, and Kennedy Space Center. All carried either 28 or 29 v2 Mini satellites, continuing SpaceX’s aggressive expansion of its broadband constellation. Booster reuse remains standard: B1069 just completed its 28th flight, and B1093 nailed its eighth landing.

But there’s a new wrinkle: due to the U.S. government shutdown, the FAA has restricted commercial launches to nighttime hours (10 p.m. to 6 a.m. local time). This means even routine Starlink launches now happen in the dark—adding logistical complexity but barely slowing SpaceX down. The company adjusted the Starlink 6-87 mission to comply, showing just how adaptable their operations have become.

Other SpaceX News: Spectrum, Shutdowns, and Starlink’s Next Leap

In a major infrastructure play, EchoStar sold another chunk of direct-to-device radio spectrum to SpaceX for $2.6 billion in company stock. This deal significantly bolsters Starlink’s direct-to-cell capabilities in the U.S., bringing us closer to texting from the backcountry without cell towers. Musk confirmed Starlink is “improving fast”—a quiet understatement given the pace of upgrades.

Meanwhile, the FAA’s shutdown-driven launch restrictions are a reminder that even the most advanced private space program still depends on public infrastructure. But with eight Starlink missions scheduled for November alone, it’s clear SpaceX isn’t letting bureaucracy ground its ambitions.

Citations

• “Launch Roundup: Ariane 6 flies, Atlas V and New Glenn both scrub during busy week” – https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/11/launch-roundup-110325/
• “Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 29 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center” – https://spaceflightnow.com/2025/11/07/live-coverage-spacex-to-launch-29-starlink-satellites-on-falcon-9-rocket-from-nasas-kennedy-space-center/
• “EchoStar sells more direct-to-device spectrum for bigger SpaceX stake” – https://spacenews.com/echostar-sells-more-direct-to-device-spectrum-for-bigger-spacex-stake/
• “FAA to restrict commercial launches during government shutdown” – https://spacenews.com/faa-to-restrict-commercial-launches-during-government-shutdown/
• “Tesla Cybertruck fleet takes over at SpaceX’s Starbase” – https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-cybertruck-fleet-takes-over-spacex-starbase/