SpaceX Launches 27 Starlink Satellites on Falcon 9 Rocket
- SpaceX launched 27 Starlink broadband internet satellites into low Earth orbit on October 23, 2026, from Pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
- The Falcon 9 first-stage booster, designated B1063, executed its main engine cutoff and stage separation about 2.5 minutes into the flight.
- Following stage separation, the vehicle's two-piece protective payload fairing was jettisoned just before T+3 minutes.
SpaceX launched 27 Starlink broadband internet satellites into low Earth orbit on October 23, 2026, from Pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 6:48 p.m. EDT, continuing a launch campaign even as the company’s overall flight cadence slows down.
Booster B1063 Completes Its 36th Flight
The Falcon 9 first-stage booster, designated B1063, executed its main engine cutoff and stage separation about 2.5 minutes into the flight. The booster then reoriented for its descent back to Earth, performing a landing burn that brought it down on SpaceX’s droneship Of Course I Still Love You
roughly eight minutes after launch. This mission marked the 36th launch and landing for B1063, a booster that previously launched NASA’s DART asteroid-smashing mission in November 2021.
Following stage separation, the vehicle’s two-piece protective payload fairing was jettisoned just before T+3 minutes. The rocket’s upper stage completed its initial engine burn and coasted for about 45 minutes before executing a final orbital insertion burn. Satellite deployment into low Earth orbit was scheduled to begin 62 minutes after liftoff.
Shifting Focus From Falcon 9 to Starship
Today’s mission adds to a constellation of more than 11,000 active spacecraft. However, Starlink flights are occurring less frequently as SpaceX shifts its focus from the Falcon 9 to its bigger and more powerful Starship rocket. Starship is designed for full reusability and features a payload bay outfitted to accommodate SpaceX’s upgraded Version 3 Starlink satellites, which are too large for the Falcon 9.
Although Starship remains under development, SpaceX plans to phase out the Falcon 9 and its Falcon Heavy variant almost entirely once the rocket begins operational flights. The shift has already affected launch frequency on the East Coast, where a prior Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station was revealed to be the final Falcon 9 Starlink mission that would fly from Florida’s Space Coast. A similar reduction may soon be true for the West Coast.
Launch Cadence Compared to Record Year
The changing deployment strategy has slowed the pace of missions. At their peak, Falcon 9 Starlink flights departed every two to three days. In contrast, the flight prior to October 23 lifted off 11 days earlier, which itself followed a gap of more than three weeks.
The October 23 flight represents the 116th Falcon 9 launch of 2026, with approximately three-quarters of those missions dedicated to Starlink. This slower pace will likely solidify 2025 as the Falcon 9’s busiest year ever, with 165 launches completed, while current projections point to just under 150 missions by the end of 2026.