SpaceX is targeting its 50th launch from the West Coast this year with a Falcon 9 Starlink mission scheduled to lift off Saturday from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
What Happened
The Starlink 17-38 mission is set to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E at 9:23 a.m. PDT (12:23 p.m. EDT / 1623 UTC). The first stage booster B1093, which joined the Falcon 9 fleet in April 2025, will power the climb-out and attempt a landing on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' in the Pacific Ocean approximately eight minutes and 19 seconds after liftoff. The booster has flown 16 prior missions including SDA-T1TL-B and SDA-T1TL-C for the Space Development Agency, the Transporter-16 rideshare mission, and 12 previous Starlink deliveries. Twenty-four Starlink satellites stacked atop the second stage are scheduled for deployment just over an hour into flight.
Why It Matters
Saturday's launch marks a significant milestone as SpaceX's West Coast flight rate reaches its 50th mission of the year. The surge comes as the company's East Coast launch cadence has declined, with resources redirected toward Starship preparations at other facilities. For Starlink customers, the continued deployment of satellites helps expand coverage and capacity for the broadband constellation.
The Bottom Line
SpaceX is targeting its 50th West Coast launch of the year from Vandenberg with booster B1093 assigned to the Starlink 17-38 mission scheduled for 9:23 a.m. PDT liftoff, carrying 24 satellites to orbit.