SpaceX reached a major milestone this past Saturday, completing its 50th launch from California in 2026. A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 9:35 a.m. PDT, carrying a new batch of 24 Starlink satellites into orbit. This mission represents the ongoing shift in operational focus toward the West Coast as the company adjusts its launch cadence.
The mission utilized booster B1093, a veteran of 15 previous flights. Following stage separation, the booster performed a successful landing on the drone ship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean approximately eight minutes after liftoff. This performance remains consistent with the company's objective of high-frequency reuse of its hardware fleet.
All 24 Starlink satellites were successfully deployed into orbit about an hour after launch. This delivery marks the 71st operational Starlink mission for the year. While the West Coast activity has accelerated, SpaceX continues to reallocate resources on the East Coast to prepare for upcoming Starship operations.