SpaceX launched 24 Starlink broadband satellites from Vandenberg on July 31, 2026, aboard a Falcon 9 that lifted off at 11:08 p.m. EDT. The rocket's first stage returned 8.5 minutes later, landing on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You, marking booster B1081's 26th flight. The satellites were deployed into low Earth orbit 61.5 minutes after liftoff and join a Starlink constellation that now exceeds 10,800 spacecraft.
SpaceX Rockets 24 More Starlink Satellites Into Orbit — Booster B1081’s 26th Flight
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 24 of the company's Starlink internet satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on July 31, 2026. | Credit: SpaceX
SpaceX launched another batch of Starlink broadband satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base on July 31, 2026, when a Falcon 9 lifted off at 11:08 p.m. EDT (8:08 p.m. local; 03:08 GMT on Aug. 1).
The rocket's first stage returned to Earth as planned 8.5 minutes after liftoff, landing on the SpaceX droneship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean. That booster, designated B1081, completed its 26th mission with this recovery.
A batch of SpaceX's Starlink satellites is seen high above Earth before deployment from their Falcon 9 rocket on July 31, 2026. | Credit: SpaceX
SpaceX confirmed via X that the 24 Starlink satellites were deployed into low Earth orbit (LEO) 61.5 minutes after liftoff. These spacecraft join a Starlink megaconstellation that now exceeds 10,800 satellites, the largest commercial satellite network to date.
Mission Highlights
- Launch Vehicle: Falcon 9
- Payload: 24 Starlink broadband satellites
- Liftoff Time: July 31, 2026 at 11:08 p.m. EDT (03:08 GMT Aug. 1)
- First-Stage Recovery: Landing on droneship Of Course I Still Love You (B1081's 26th flight)
- Deployment: Satellites released into LEO 61.5 minutes after liftoff
So far in 2026 SpaceX has flown 89 Falcon 9 missions, 69 of which were dedicated Starlink launches. The company has also completed one Falcon Heavy launch and two Starship test flights this year as it continues developing the fully reusable Starship system for future Moon, Mars and deep-space missions.
“Deployment confirmed,” SpaceX posted on X following the successful satellite release.
Why it matters: Each Starlink launch expands global broadband coverage and increases redundancy across the constellation, supporting consumer internet service, enterprise connectivity and government uses worldwide.
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