SpaceX launches 26 Starlink satellites aboard Falcon 9 from Vandenberg SFB
SpaceX Falcon 9 mission delivers new batch of Starlink satellites
SpaceX
successfully launched 26 Starlink V2 Mini satellites into
low Earth orbit
on Monday evening, June 16, as part of its Starlink 15-9 mission. The launch occurred at 8:36 p.m. PDT (11:36 p.m. EDT, 0336 UTC) from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at
Vandenberg Space Force Base
in California.
The mission represented the 200th orbital launch from SLC-4E. SpaceX used Falcon 9 rocket booster B1093 for this operation, marking the booster's third flight. B1093 previously supported the Starlink 11-11 and Starlink 15-5 missions.
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Approximately eight minutes after liftoff, the Falcon 9 booster landed successfully on the droneship 'Of Course I Still Love You' positioned in the Pacific Ocean. This marked the 137th landing on this specific recovery platform and the 463rd booster landing in SpaceX history.
Vandenberg site sees milestone in SpaceX operations
Of the 199 orbital launches preceding this mission from SLC-4E, 131 were Falcon 9 rockets. The launch pad has a long operational history, beginning in May 1964 when it hosted Atlas-Agena rockets shortly after the activation of the Air Force Western Test Range. The pad later supported numerous Titan rocket launches until 2005.
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With increasing launch frequency from Vandenberg, SpaceX is undergoing the review process to acquire neighboring Space Launch Complex 6 (SLC-6). The company intends to use that site for additional Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy missions, expanding its launch capabilities on the West Coast.
The Starlink 15-9 mission continues SpaceX's broader plan to provide high-speed internet access through its Starlink satellite constellation. The new batch of V2 Mini satellites will contribute to the growing global network designed to serve remote and underserved regions.
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