SpaceX has achieved a major operational milestone, completing its 100th mission of 2026. This launch, conducted from Vandenberg Space Force Base, deployed 24 Starlink internet satellites into low Earth orbit. The company has now reached this century mark for the third consecutive year, showing a consistent pace in their flight schedule.
The mission utilized a Falcon 9 rocket to carry out the delivery. About 8.5 minutes after liftoff, the first stage booster successfully landed on the drone ship Of Course I Still Love You. This specific booster, identified as B1097, continues its service history after marking its 12th mission today.
While this launch focuses on Starlink, which comprises the bulk of the company's activity with nearly 11,000 satellites now in operation, the broader picture for SpaceX includes testing of their heavy-lift Starship vehicle. The company currently relies on its Falcon series to handle its high launch cadence while it shifts development resources toward fully reusable systems capable of multiple daily flights.
SpaceX maintains a heavy operational tempo, and recent data confirms that this year’s mission count is largely driven by the expansion of the Starlink network. With 74 missions dedicated to the constellation so far this year, the company remains the most active private player in orbital logistics.