Two days, two coasts, two more SpaceX Starlink batches launched

SpaceX launched two more sets of Starlink satellites on back-to-back, coast-to-coast flights on Friday and Saturday.

First up, a Falcon 9 rocket launched from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on March 13. The 25 satellites (Group 17-31) were released into low Earth orbit about an hour after the 10:57 a.m. EDT (1457 GMT or 7:57 a.m. PDT local time) liftoff.

On Saturday, another Falcon 9 departed Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The 29 Starlink units (Group 10-48) successfully joined the SpaceX megaconstellation following the 7:37 a.m. EDT (1137 GMT) launch.

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Both missions’ first stage boosters returned to Earth as planned, landing on ocean-based droneships. On Friday, Booster 1071 (B1071) touched down on “Of Course I Still Love You” stationed in the Pacific off the coast of California. On Saturday, Booster 1095 (B1095) landed on “Just Read the Instructions” in the Atlantic Ocean.

The launches brought the total number of active Starlink satellites to 9,985, according to satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell.

Saturday’s launch marked SpaceX’s 625th completed mission and 585th landing, according to the company’s website. It was SpaceX’s 32nd flight in 2026.