SpaceX Plans 25-Satellite Starlink Launch From Vandenberg

SpaceX readies another Starlink flight

SpaceX planned to launch 25 more Starlink broadband satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, continuing a rapid 2026 cadence for the company’s low Earth orbit internet constellation.

The Starlink 17-14 mission was scheduled to lift off from Space Launch Complex 4 East at 8:23:09 p.m. PDT on April 22, equivalent to 11:23:09 p.m. EDT and 0323:09 UTC on April 23. Spaceflight Now reported that SpaceX adjusted the T-0 liftoff time ahead of the attempt.

The Falcon 9 was expected to fly on a south-southwesterly trajectory after leaving the pad. The mission would add to a Starlink constellation that Spaceflight Now described as consisting of more than 10,200 spacecraft.

Reusable booster assigned

The launch was to use Falcon 9 first-stage booster B1100. According to the source report, this would be the booster’s fifth flight, following NROL-105 and three previous Starlink batches.

SpaceX planned to recover the booster on the drone ship Of Course I Still Love You a little more than eight minutes after liftoff. If successful, the landing would mark the 192nd booster recovery on that vessel and SpaceX’s 602nd booster landing overall.

Why it matters

The mission underscores how routine Falcon 9 reuse has become for Starlink deployment. While each individual batch adds only a small fraction of the total network, the sustained launch rhythm is central to maintaining and expanding broadband capacity in low Earth orbit.

The flight was also described as SpaceX’s 40th Starlink mission of the year, highlighting the scale at which the company is operating its satellite internet buildout.

This article is based on reporting by Spaceflight Now. Read the original article.