SpaceX Launches 24 Starlink Satellites on 72nd Falcon 9 Mission
Updated
Updated · Spaceflight Now · Jun 21
SpaceX Launches 24 Starlink Satellites on 72nd Falcon 9 Mission
3 articles · Updated · Spaceflight Now · Jun 21
Summary
24 Starlink satellites lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 1639 UTC aboard a Falcon 9, adding another batch to SpaceX’s low-Earth-orbit broadband network.
The mission marked SpaceX’s 72nd Falcon 9 launch of 2026 and used booster B1063 on its 33rd flight, underscoring the company’s high reuse tempo.
About 8.5 minutes after liftoff, B1063 landed on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific, the vessel’s 204th recovery and SpaceX’s 627th booster landing overall.
The launch continues Starlink’s rapid constellation buildout, which SpaceX is using to expand global internet coverage, including inflight Wi-Fi and direct-to-cell services.