On July 21, 2026, SpaceX achieved a significant milestone with the successful launch of its Starlink 17-39 mission from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The mission involved the deployment of two dozen Starlink V2 Mini broadband internet satellites into the company’s expanding low Earth orbit constellation.
The launch took place at 7:49 a.m. PDT (10:49 a.m. EDT / 1449 UTC), following a rare abort during the ignition sequence of the previous day’s launch attempt. During that initial attempt, all nine Merlin 1D engines ignited but subsequently shut down, resulting in a dramatic flash of fire and smoke.
In contrast, the second attempt proceeded without incident. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off smoothly, following a south-southwesterly trajectory to achieve a 97-degree inclination orbit. Approximately one hour after liftoff, the 24 Starlink satellites were successfully deployed.
This mission utilized the Falcon 9 first stage booster B1082, marking its 23rd flight. This booster has previously supported missions such as NROL-145, USSF-62, and OneWeb Launch 20. Notably, more than eight minutes post-launch, B1082 successfully landed on the droneship ‘Of Course I Still Love You’ in the Pacific Ocean. This landing marked the 212th recovery of this vessel and the 640th successful booster landing overall.
The Starlink 17-39 mission represents SpaceX’s 85th Falcon 9 launch of the year, with 67 of those missions dedicated to supporting the Starlink constellation, which now comprises over 10,800 spacecraft. This ongoing expansion highlights SpaceX’s commitment to enhancing global broadband internet access through its satellite network.
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