SpaceX launches Starlink mission from West Coast
A SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off from the company’s West Coast launch facility early Wednesday morning to add another batch of satellites to SpaceX’s Starlink constellation.
Liftoff from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California occurred at 1:42 a.m. PDT (4:42 a.m. EDT / 0842 UTC). It was the company’s 104 orbital launch of the year and the 79th Starlink mission in 2026.
SpaceX is now basing its Starlink launch operations on the West Coast as it focuses efforts at Cape Canaveral on preparing for the East Coast debut of its Starship vehicle.
The Falcon 9 first stage booster, B1063, making its 35th flight, took a south-easterly trajectory on departure from Space Launch Complex 4-East. After second stage separation, the booster it landed on the drone ship ‘Of Course I Still Love You’ stationed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja California.
SpaceX confirmed a successful deployment of the 27 Starlink V2 Mini satellites from the Falcon 9 upper stage just over an hour into flight.
SpaceX is now basing its Starlink launch operations on the West Coast as it focuses efforts at Cape Canaveral on preparing for the East Coast debut of its Starship vehicle.
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