How Starlink Became SpaceX's Cash Cow

Starlink has fundamentally upended the space industry and global geopolitics by deploying over 9,000 satellites in just a decade. This rapid expansion relies on applying consumer electronics manufacturing principles to aerospace, combined with the cost-efficiency of reusable Falcon 9 rockets. By prioritizing scale over traditional "failure is not an option" engineering, SpaceX has transformed Starlink into a primary revenue driver, securing billions to fund Mars exploration. This dominance has triggered a defensive response from China, which is now accelerating its own state-backed mega-constellations, SatNet and SpaceSail, to mitigate dependence on U.S. technology. As low Earth orbit becomes increasingly crowded, the competition between these commercial and state-led networks intensifies, raising critical concerns regarding orbital debris, collision avoidance, and the long-term sustainability of space operations.