In a remarkable demonstration of its launch capabilities, SpaceX successfully executed the Starlink 15-22 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in the early hours of Wednesday. This mission adds another 27 broadband internet satellites to the company’s expanding low Earth orbit megaconstellation.
The launch occurred at 2:35 a.m. PDT (5:35 a.m. EDT / 0935 UTC) from Space Launch Complex 4 East, with the Falcon 9 rocket following a south-easterly trajectory after liftoff. This mission utilized the Falcon 9 first stage booster designated B1082, marking its 24th flight. Previously, B1082 had successfully completed missions including NROL-145, USSF-62, and OneWeb Launch 20, alongside 20 batches of Starlink satellites.
Approximately 8.5 minutes post-launch, the booster B1082 made a successful landing on the droneship, Of Course I Still Love You, stationed in the Pacific Ocean. This landing marked the 221st successful recovery on this vessel and the 655th overall landing of a Falcon booster.
This launch follows closely on the heels of the Starlink 10-49 mission, which was conducted from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station just a day prior. Notably, SpaceX Vice President of Launch, Kiko Dontchev, indicated that this mission represented the last planned Starlink launch utilizing a Falcon 9 rocket from Florida, as the company prepares to transition to orbital launches with the Starship vehicle.
“Super proud of this incredible team. You’ve made Falcon 9 the most reliable launch vehicle in history. You also helped build the largest low-Earth orbit satellite constellation providing connectivity to millions around the world, and you’ve set the foundation for what’s next,” wrote Dontchev on social media, highlighting the significance of this milestone.
In the past seven years, the Falcon 9 has completed approximately 260 Starlink missions from Cape Canaveral, marking a pivotal era in the evolution of satellite launches on the East Coast.
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