SpaceX Set to Launch 22 Starlink Satellites from California Today

Today marks another significant step for SpaceX as they prepare to launch 22 Starlink satellites into orbit.

The event will see a Falcon 9 rocket take to the skies from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The launch window is set to open at 2:28 p.m. EDT (1928 GMT; 11:28 a.m. local time), spanning 3.5 hours.

The action will be streamed live on X, starting approximately five minutes prior to liftoff, allowing viewers to catch every moment of this exciting event.

Following the launch, the Falcon 9’s first stage is expected to return to Earth, aiming for a precise vertical landing on the drone ship named ‘Of Course I Still Love You’ roughly eight minutes after it leaves the ground.

Remarkably, this booster will be making its ninth journey, showcasing its reliability with six of its previous flights dedicated to similar Starlink missions.

SpaceX has been notably busy this year, having conducted over 120 Falcon 9 launches. A substantial portion of these missions, nearly 70%, have focused on expanding the Starlink megaconstellation, which now boasts over 6,800 operational satellites.

Today’s satellites will join this growing network, being deployed into low Earth orbit about 60 minutes after the rocket’s departure.

As SpaceX continues to enhance global broadband access through its expansive satellite network, today’s launch represents another key achievement in their ambitious aerospace endeavors.