SpaceX continues to expand its global satellite internet coverage with the successful launch of 26 Starlink satellites from California on Monday, June 16. The mission lifted off at 8:36 p.m. PDT from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base using a Falcon 9 rocket on its third flight.
The satellites reached low Earth orbit (LEO) approximately eight and a half minutes after liftoff. After a second engine burn of the Falcon 9’s upper stage, deployment was scheduled about an hour into the mission. Meanwhile, the rocket’s first stage booster (B1093) executed a flawless landing on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You, positioned in the Pacific Ocean.
This launch follows a June 13 Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral, which completed the first-generation direct-to-cell satellite constellation—designed to connect unmodified mobile phones in remote areas through partnerships with global cellular providers.
Although the June 16 mission did not include direct-to-cell satellites, it significantly boosts the capacity of SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network, which now comprises over 7,760 active satellites in orbit. The continuous deployment underscores SpaceX’s commitment to improving internet access worldwide.
SpaceX’s Starlink program remains a game-changer in the race to provide fast, reliable satellite internet, especially in underserved and remote regions.
