SpaceX successfully launched 27 Starlink internet satellites into low Earth orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The mission featured a booster completing its 35th flight and successfully returning to a Pacific Ocean droneship.
Vandenberg Liftoff Deploys New Starlink Batch
The operational tempo of the Starlink megaconstellation shows no sign of slowing down. A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base at 4:42 a.m. EDT, carrying 27 internet satellites toward low Earth orbit.
The upper stage of the rocket performed as expected, deploying the 27 Starlink satellites 62 minutes after launch. These spacecraft add to the largest satellite constellation ever assembled, which now contains more than 11,000 active units.
Booster Milestones and Droneship Recovery
The first stage powering the mission, designated Booster 1063, reached a significant milestone by completing its 35th flight to space and back. That performance sits just two flights shy of the SpaceX reuse record set by another booster.
Following stage separation, the booster successfully returned to Earth. It landed on the SpaceX drone ship Of Course I Still Love You
stationed in the Pacific Ocean roughly 8.5 minutes after liftoff, according to the mission profile reported by the outlet.
Launch Cadence in 2026
The morning flight marked the 102nd Falcon 9 launch of the year. Out of those missions, 79 have focused entirely on building out the Starlink orbital network.
Beyond the Falcon 9 flights, SpaceX maintained a busy schedule across its broader vehicle lineup. The company conducted two missions using its Falcon Heavy rocket alongside two suborbital test flights of the Starship megarocket, which remains in active development.
Payloads and Observatory Deployments
The recent Starlink flight follows a heavy stretch of operations that included the Falcon Heavy launch carrying NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
With Booster 1063 safely recovered on the ocean platform, the stage is set for engineers to inspect the hardware and determine if it will join the rotation for a 36th flight.