SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 25 Starlink internet satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Sunday at 2:10 am PST to expand the company’s low-Earth orbit broadband communications network.
About eight and a half minutes after liftoff, the first-stage booster separated and touched down on the droneship “Of Course I Still Love You” stationed in the Pacific Ocean. This flight marked the 20th successful launch and recovery for this specific hardware, designated B1082.
The 25 satellites were nominally deployed into their targeted parking orbit, adding to the total operational mass of the commercial orbital constellation
The launch from Space Launch Complex 4 East maintains an active flight schedule for the aerospace manufacturer. The Vandenberg pad has supported orbital missions since 1964, initially hosting military Atlas-Agena systems before transitioning to modern commercial payload vehicles.
Following the ascent, the company verified the payload deployment via public communication channels. “Falcon 9 launches 25 Starlink satellites from California,” SpaceX stated in an official operational update.
