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SpaceX launches 27 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg on a Falcon 9 whose booster flew its 20th mission
SpaceX launched 27 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites on a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base on October 12, 2026. The booster landed on a drone ship about 8.5 minutes after liftoff, and the satellites were to be placed in a 266 km orbit a little over an hour later. It is a routine batch, but each booster reuse and drone-ship landing adds to the record of a reusable launch system.
- The mission, Starlink 15-25, flew south along the California coast toward an orbit inclined 70 degrees to the Equator.
- Liftoff was at 5:28 p.m. PDT on October 12 from Space Launch Complex 4 East.
- Booster B1088 was on its 20th flight and had earlier flown NROL-126, Transporter-12, SPHEREx, NROL-57, USSF-366 and 14 Starlink missions.