SpaceX successfully launched 24 additional Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California late Friday night. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4 East at 8:08 p.m. PDT, concluding a mission that faced several days of delays. SpaceX has not provided specific details regarding the reasons for these postponements, which pushed the launch date from the original target of July 27.
The mission deployed a fresh batch of V2 mini satellites into low Earth orbit. This addition brings the total number of Starlink satellites currently in space to more than 10,800. These satellites support the global broadband internet network that the company operates.
This specific flight relied on the first stage booster identified as B1081. This mission marked the 26th time this particular hardware has flown, following a history of successful deployments for NASA missions, various commercial customers, and previous Starlink constellations. Eight minutes after liftoff, the booster executed a landing on the autonomous droneship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean. This landing represents the 214th recovery for that vessel and the 643rd overall orbital booster landing for the company.
The pace of launch activity remains high for 2026. This event serves as the 90th Falcon rocket launch of the year. It also accounts for the 69th delivery of V2 Mini Optimized satellites in 2026 alone. Operations at the California spaceport continue to play a critical role in maintaining the orbit density required for the Starlink service.