SpaceX launched 27 of its Starlink broadband satellites into orbit on September 19, 2026. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 9:47 p.m. EDT (6:47 p.m. local time; 01:47 GMT on September 20).
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Approximately 8.5 minutes after liftoff, the rocket's first stage returned to Earth, landing in the Pacific Ocean on the SpaceX drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You." This marked the 17th flight for booster 1093.
About 62 minutes post-launch, the Falcon 9's upper stage deployed the 27 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. The Starlink constellation now boasts more than 11,100 active satellites, according to astrophysicist and satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell.
This launch was the 107th Falcon 9 mission of 2026 and the 81st dedicated to expanding the Starlink network. However, these figures are notably lower than SpaceX's record-setting 2025, which saw the Falcon 9 fly 165 times, with 122 missions focused on Starlink. If the current launch trend continues, 2026 is projected to reach 149 Falcon 9 launches, including 113 Starlink missions.