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SpaceX Falcon 9 Deploys 23 Starlink Satellites, Achieves New Booster Reusability Milestone

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On January 24, 2025, SpaceX successfully launched 23 Starlink satellites into orbit, marking its 11th Falcon 9 mission of the year. The rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 9:07 a.m. EST, delivering its payload to low Earth orbit. Following stage separation, the Falcon 9’s first-stage booster executed a precise landing on the drone ship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean. This achievement marks the 401st successful recovery of an orbital-class booster, further solidifying SpaceX’s dominance in reusable rocket technology.

Falcon 9 Booster Achieves 23rd Flight

According to SpaceX, the booster supporting this mission completed its 23rd successful launch and landing, setting a new record for Falcon 9 reusability. Of its previous missions, 14 were dedicated to Starlink deployments. The rocket’s upper stage deployed the satellites approximately 64 minutes after liftoff, further advancing SpaceX’s efforts in cost-efficient spaceflight. This milestone underscores the company’s ongoing refinement of booster reuse, a crucial factor in reducing launch costs and increasing mission frequency.

Starlink’s Ever-Growing Satellite Constellation

With this latest deployment, the Starlink constellation continues its rapid expansion. This mission represents the seventh Starlink launch of 2025, pushing the total number of operational satellites beyond 6,900. Astrophysicist and satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell noted that SpaceX’s ongoing launches are enabling faster global coverage, bringing high-speed internet access to underserved regions worldwide.

Paving the Way for Future Missions

As SpaceX scales up its Starlink network, the company remains focused on increasing satellite capabilities and launch efficiency. Future missions are expected to incorporate advanced satellite models with enhanced connectivity and inter-satellite communication. With Falcon 9’s continued reusability improvements, SpaceX is paving the way for even more ambitious spaceflight endeavors, including upcoming crewed missions and deep-space exploration.

Sberbank Plans AI Collaboration with China Amid DeepSeek’s Rise

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Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank, is set to collaborate with Chinese researchers on artificial intelligence (AI) projects, a top executive revealed, following the groundbreaking success of China’s DeepSeek AI model. DeepSeek, which has created a highly cost-effective AI model, has shaken up the tech landscape, challenging the dominance of U.S. companies like Nvidia. This move reflects the growing collaboration between Russia and China, which share a “no limits” strategic partnership, particularly in the realm of AI.

Under CEO German Gref, Sberbank has transitioned from its bureaucratic past as a Soviet-era state savings bank into a leader in AI innovation. In 2023, the bank launched its own AI model, GigaChat, and is now focusing on joint research projects with China. Alexander Vedyakhin, Sberbank’s First Deputy CEO, confirmed the plans but refrained from naming specific Chinese research partners. The partnership is expected to strengthen the scientific ties between the two countries, in line with Russia’s broader push to expand cooperation with China in areas such as military AI applications.

DeepSeek’s innovative, low-cost AI models have caused a stir globally, with investors now viewing them as serious competition for U.S. tech giants. The potential Russia-China AI alliance could further disrupt the global AI sector, especially as the race between China and the U.S. for AI supremacy intensifies. The shared vision of Presidents Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, who view the West as in decline, could fuel further collaboration in emerging technologies like AI, quantum computing, and synthetic biology.

Despite facing sanctions, Russia is eager to build AI partnerships with China and other BRICS nations to counterbalance U.S. dominance. However, Russia’s own AI progress remains difficult to gauge, as some projects are classified. Additionally, both Russia and China struggle with limited domestic computing power due to sanctions, prompting efforts to seek alternative methods to stay competitive in the AI race.

Sberbank’s comparison of its GigaChat MAX model to DeepSeek’s offerings reveals that while DeepSeek excels in scientific tasks, GigaChat remains competitive in the banking sector. Vedyakhin acknowledged DeepSeek’s success as proof that quality AI models can be built without massive investments in infrastructure, such as the U.S. megaproject Stargate. Sberbank, like DeepSeek, has made most of its AI platforms publicly accessible, including its text-to-image model, Kandinsky, and GigaChat Lite, which reflects a more transparent approach than that of OpenAI, drawing a large community.

 

Russian TV Airs Fake Report on DeepSeek’s ‘Soviet Code

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A fabricated Russian news story claiming that China’s DeepSeek AI app is based on secret Soviet code has made its way onto state TV, illustrating a wave of nostalgia in Russia for a bygone era of technological might. The hoax originated from Panorama, a satirical fake news outlet that openly publishes fictional content. The fake report featured an interview with DeepSeek’s founder, Liang Wenfeng, who was quoted as praising Soviet-era programmers and their alleged role in developing the code for the AI startup.

According to the spoof, the DeepSeek code was allegedly created in 1985 by a team led by Viktor Glushkov, a renowned Soviet scientist credited with developing the first personal computer in the Soviet Union in the 1960s. Glushkov was also behind the creation of a data-processing network designed to manage the Soviet planned economy, which some argue contained early features of artificial intelligence.

Despite its fictional nature, the story gained traction, appearing on Rossiya One, a national state television channel, as if it were genuine news. It was further amplified on social media, with prominent figures like Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov sharing the report, calling the Soviet Union “the most educated and advanced country”—a post that was later deleted.

Russia’s domestic AI landscape, however, lags behind its global competitors, ranking 31st out of 83 nations for AI implementation, investment, and innovation, according to the Global AI Index by UK-based Tortoise Media. Russia not only trails technological giants like the United States and China but also faces stiff competition from other BRICS members like India and Brazil. Despite boasting two significant domestic AI models, Russia closely monitors China’s AI advancements, particularly the success of DeepSeek’s recent models, which have shaken up the global tech scene.