SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is targeting the launch of 25 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

A live webcast of this mission will begin about five minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the X TV app.

This is the 31st flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, DART, Transporter-7, Iridium OneWeb, SDA-0B, NROL-113, NROL-167, NROL-149, NAOS, and 20 Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean.

There is the possibility that residents of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties may hear one or more sonic booms during the launch, but what residents experience will depend on weather and other conditions.

Quelle: SpaceX

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Update: 22.02.2026

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Falcon 9 launches 25 Starlink satellites after weather delays

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soars away from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base on the Starlink 17-25 mission on Feb. 21, 2026. Image: SpaceX

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 25 Starlink satellites from California early Saturday, after days of delay.

Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base occurred at 1:04:19 a.m. PST (4:04:19 a.m. EST / 0904:19 UTC). The company had originally planned to launch the Starlink 17-25 mission Feb. 18 but it was delayed three times due to severe weather in central California. The rocket took a southerly trajectory on departure from the launch pad.

SpaceX was flying Falcon 9 first stage B1063 for a 31st time. With this flight it is the joint-second most flown booster in the SpaceX fleet. It previously launched 20 batches of Starlink satellites, three batches of Starshield satellites for the U.S. military, and the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, DART, Transporter-7, Iridium OneWeb, SDA-0B and NAOS missions

After separating from the first stage, the booster targeted a landing on the drone ship, ‘Of Course I Still Love You,’ positioned downrange in the Pacific Ocean. Touching down on the deck of the autonomous landing platform about eight and half minutes after launch.

The 25 Starlink satellites were due to deploy from the rocket’s upper stage about an hour after launch.

Quelle: SN