SpaceX launches 24 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg SFB

Update May 26, 12:21 p.m. EDT (1621 UTC) SpaceX confirms deployment of its 24 Starlink satellites.

SpaceX followed up a picturesque Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral Monday morning with another from Vandenberg Space Force Base Tuesday morning.

The Starlink 17-37 mission, which was originally scheduled to launch on May 9, faced several launch delays throughout the month of May. The flight went through two previous booster assignments (B1097 and B1103) before SpaceX ultimately designated B1100 to fly the mission.

Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 4 East happened at 7:50:34 a.m. PDT (10:50:34 a.m. EDT / 1450:34 UTC). The Falcon 9 rocket flew on a southerly trajectory upon leaving the pad.

The Starlink 17-37 mission was the sixth flight for B1100. It previously flew the NROL-105 mission as well as four batches of Starlink satellites.

Nearly 8.5 minutes after liftoff, B1100 landed on the drone ship, ‘Of Course I Still Love You,’ positioned out in the Pacific Ocean. This was the 198th landing on this vessel and the 615th booster landing to date for SpaceX.