SpaceX is all set to launch a Falcon 9 rocket from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base early Sunday, aiming to continue its aggressive pace in 2026 by successfully placing 25 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO). This mission underlines SpaceX’s year-round capabilities.
The Falcon 9 rocket was positioned to carry another batch of satellites for the company’s Starlink internet service. The Starlink 17-23 mission launch from Space Launch Complex 4 East occurred at 2:10:39 a.m. PST (5:10:39 a.m. EST/10:09:39 UTC). The rocket, carrying 25 Starlink V2 Mini satellites, took off from the launch site in central California.
Falcon 9 booster B1082 is remarkably making its 20th flight since its inaugural flight in January 2024. Previously, it launched the USSF-62, OneWeb Launch 20 and NROL-145 missions, plus 15 Starlink deliveries. The booster landed on the drone ship, which was in the Pacific Ocean, just over eight minutes after it left the launch pad. In addition, 25 satellites were placed on the second stage and could be deployed just over an hour after the flight.
