3 min learnAug 23, 2026 01:08 PM IST
SpaceX launched 27 Starlink web satellites into low Earth orbit on Saturday, marking the one hundredth Falcon rocket mission of 2026 and one other milestone for the corporate’s quickly rising launch cadence.
A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the satellites lifted off from Vandenberg Area Pressure Base in California at 3.25 am EDT (12.55 pm IST). The mission was the 99th Falcon 9 launch of the yr. The one different Falcon mission in 2026 was carried out by a Falcon Heavy, which launched the Viasat-3 F3 telecommunications satellite tv for pc in April.
Reaching 100 Falcon missions this early within the yr highlights SpaceX’s aggressive launch schedule. Nevertheless, the corporate nonetheless has some strategy to go to match its annual file of 165 Falcon launches, set in 2025. All of these missions final yr had been carried out by Falcon 9.
Falcon 9 booster completes ninth flight
The Falcon 9’s reusable first-stage booster returned to Earth as deliberate after separating from the rocket. It landed on SpaceX’s drone ship Of Course I Nonetheless Love You within the Pacific Ocean roughly 8.5 minutes after liftoff.
The booster, designated B1100, accomplished its ninth flight, including one other profitable reuse to SpaceX’s rising fleet of continuously flown Falcon 9 first levels.
Whereas the booster headed again to Earth, the rocket’s higher stage continued carrying the 27 Starlink satellites in direction of their goal orbit. The spacecraft had been deployed on schedule, just below 62 minutes after liftoff.
The newest launch additional expands Starlink, which has already grown into the world’s largest satellite tv for pc constellation. Greater than 11,000 Starlink spacecraft are presently operational, in accordance with information cited by Area.com.
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Starlink satellites have additionally develop into SpaceX’s most typical payload. Of the 99 Falcon 9 launches performed in 2026, 76 have been devoted to deploying Starlink spacecraft.
SpaceX’s satellite tv for pc ambitions prolong far past the present constellation. The corporate has mentioned it needs to launch 1,00,000 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites within the coming years. These satellites are anticipated to be launched utilizing SpaceX’s large Starship rocket, which stays beneath growth.
The rising variety of Starlink launches displays SpaceX’s effort to quickly develop its satellite tv for pc web community and enhance protection and capability. The newest mission additionally demonstrates the corporate’s continued reliance on Falcon 9’s reusable structure, permitting particular person boosters to fly a number of instances and serving to SpaceX preserve a excessive launch frequency.
