SpaceX launches 26 Starlink satellites: Falcon 9 lifts off from California; network expands beyond 7,760 units

SpaceX on Monday successfully launched 26 Starlink satellites from California. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off shortly after dusk from Vandenberg Space Force Base.The mission lifted off at 8:36 pm PDT (11:36 pm EDT / 0336 GMT June 17) from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base. The launch used a relatively new Falcon 9 rocket making its third flight.The satellites, designated as Group 15-9 on SpaceX’s website, reached low Earth orbit about eight and a half minutes after liftoff. Roughly an hour into the mission, following a second burn of the upper stage, SpaceX officially confirmed at 1:35 am EDT that all satellites had been successfully deployed.Meanwhile, the rocket’s first stage—serial number B1093—successfully landed on the drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You” in the Pacific Ocean. This booster previously flew in May and has now completed three Starlink missions.SpaceX shared stunning visuals from the launch on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, including both photos and video clips capturing liftoff and the booster landing, which drew widespread praise from space enthusiasts online.Monday’s launch came just days after a similar Starlink deployment from Florida’s Cape Canaveral on Friday, June 13. That earlier mission (Group 12-26) completed the first-generation Starlink direct-to-cell satellite constellation.According to a SpaceX social media post, the direct-to-cell service will allow standard cell phones to connect from remote areas without needing additional hardware, thanks to partnerships with mobile providers worldwide.Although Monday’s satellites did not include direct-to-cell capabilities, they contribute to the broader Starlink network, which now includes over 7,760 active satellites.