SpaceX successfully launched another batch of Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Tuesday night. This mission involved 24 satellites sent to low Earth orbit. The launch took place at 9:46 p.m. PDT from Space Launch Complex 4 East. This marks the 51st flight conducted by SpaceX from the West Coast throughout 2026.
The rocket utilized a Falcon 9 first-stage booster, identified by the tail number B1103. This flight represents the fifth time this specific booster has been used. It previously carried payloads for the Space Development Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office, and two previous Starlink missions.
Following the successful deployment of the satellites, the booster returned for a landing. It touched down on the droneship titled Of Course I Still Love You, which sat in the Pacific Ocean. This landing event is the 163rd for that particular vessel and brings the total count of successful Falcon booster landings to 648.
SpaceX maintains a high tempo for its launch operations this year. With this latest mission, the company continues to build out the Starlink constellation to provide global internet coverage. The flight trajectory for this mission was south-southwesterly, standard for launches from the California facility. The operations at the site underscore the sustained cadence of space launches currently observed on the West Coast.