Watch SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch 24 Starlink v2 Mini satellites tonight from California’s Vandenberg SLC-4E. Learn how this mission reshapes west-coast space access
Tonight’s Launch—More Than Just Another Flight
What Makes This Mission Special
SpaceX is set to launch 24 Starlink v2 Mini satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base’s SLC-4E pad, with liftoff scheduled for 8:43 p.m. PDT (11:43 p.m.
also read Crew-10’s Homecoming: From Orbital Lab to Local Shores—A New Chapter in Commercial Spaceflight
EDT03:43 UTC). The Falcon 9 booster, B1093, will aim for a precise landing on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You approximately 8.5 minutes post-launch—bringing its total Ocean landings for this vessel to a significant 144th recovery
Building the Starlink Advantage from the West Coast
How This Deployment Moves the Needle
Launching from Vandenberg puts Starlink in a strategically advantageous polar orbit, which helps deliver internet coverage to high-latitude regions
Falcon 9’s Reliability—Satellite by Satellite
Reusability in Action
The Falcon 9 booster B1093 has flown several Starlink batches already, showcasing how reusability drives down costs and increases launch cadence. If this mission marks SpaceX’s 98th Falcon 9 launch of 2025, it underlines a staggering flight pace
The Payload’s Journey
Once lofted into low Earth orbit, the 24 Starlink v2 Mini satellites will swiftly expand the constellation—enhancing internet access, especially in remote or underserved regions.
also Crew-10’s Journey: Pioneering Sustainable Space Science & Global Cooperation
Beyond the Mission—What This Means
Operating from Vandenberg provides flexibility for launches into polar and Sun-synchronous orbits—critical for Earth observation, national security, and global internet services
Connecting the Unconnected
Beyond the thrill of rocket science, this mission plays a direct role in connecting millions to the internet—particularly those in regions where traditional infrastructure is impossible or too expensive to deploy. The polar-orbit insertion from Vandenberg allows Starlink satellites to beam coverage across high-latitude areas, including rural parts of Canada, Alaska, and northern Europe.
West Coast’s Growing Role
Vandenberg is becoming a key player in this expansion. With the capability to launch into polar and Sun-synchronous orbits, it complements Cape Canaveral’s equatorial launches—giving SpaceX flexibility to meet customer needs.