SpaceX conducted a Falcon 9 rocket launch on Thursday evening from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, sending 29 new Starlink internet satellites into orbit.
The liftoff occurred at 8:41:40 pm Eastern Time from Space Launch Complex-40, with the mission labeled Starlink 10-34. The event marked another step in the company’s effort to expand and maintain its low-Earth-orbit broadband network.
The Falcon 9 used first-stage booster B1077, which was on its 26th flight after previous missions including Crew-5, CRS-28, and NG-20. About 8.5 minutes after liftoff, the booster targeted a landing on SpaceX’s drone ship Just Read the Instructions, stationed off the coast of Exuma Island in The Bahamas. A successful touchdown would have been the 150th landing for that vessel and the 573rd booster recovery for SpaceX.
Weather officials from the 45th Weather Squadron rated the launch chances as better than 95 percent favorable, with no major constraints from clouds or winds.
The rocket followed a south-easterly trajectory after leaving the Florida coast, placing the satellites into an initial transfer orbit before they raised themselves to their operational altitude. The mission added more capacity to the Starlink constellation, which provides internet service to customers in dozens of countries.
This launch represented just the second time SpaceX has attempted to land a Falcon 9 stage so close to Bahamian territory. The first such landing occurred one year earlier, during the Starlink 10-12 mission on February 18, 2025. Bahamian authorities had previously raised environmental concerns following two in-flight breakups of the company’s Starship rocket in 2025, but reports indicate the two sides have since reached an arrangement allowing these booster returns.
Ongoing Starlink cadence and fleet growth
SpaceX’s published schedule and independent launch trackers show multiple additional Falcon 9 flights set for late February and early March, almost all carrying batches of Starlink satellites from Florida and California.
The company has described this high-frequency cadence as central to maintaining coverage and upgrading capacity as demand grows. Several recent missions have already deployed second-generation Starlink V2-Mini satellites, which offer higher data throughput per satellite.
Industry observers note that the reuse of boosters such as B1077 underscores SpaceX’s emphasis on rapid turnaround and cost control. The company continues to refine its marine landing procedures and monitoring systems, especially in areas where the public can see returning stages near populated islands. Executives have said these operations also support long-term plans for more complex missions, including crewed flights to polar orbits and future Starship deployments.
Space agencies and telecommunication regulators have pointed to the expanding Starlink network as a key factor in bridging digital-access gaps, although they also stress the need for responsible orbital-debris management.
SpaceX has repeatedly stated that it is working with national and international bodies to track its satellites and adjust orbits when needed, while regulators continue to monitor the growing number of spacecraft in low-Earth orbit.
