SpaceX achieved a new milestone Saturday night by launching two Falcon 9 rockets in quick succession, carrying missions for Globalstar and the U.S. Space Force with just 38.5 minutes between liftoffs.
What Happened
The first mission lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 9:12 p.m. EDT (0112 UTC), sending eight satellites into orbit for Globalstar to replenish its low Earth orbit constellation. The Falcon 9 booster used was tail number B1090, completing its 14th flight before landing back at Landing Zone 40 about eight minutes after liftoff. That launch marked the 52nd orbital mission from Florida's Space Coast this year. While that rocket's upper stage was coasting, SpaceX was already counting down to a second Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The USSF-366 mission for the U.S. Space Force lifted off at 6:50 p.m. PDT (9:50 p.m. EDT), carrying a classified payload that authorities have not disclosed. Its booster, B1088, landed on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You stationed in the Pacific Ocean, marking the 650th landing of a Falcon booster to date.
Why It Matters
The 38.5-minute gap between launches sets a new record for SpaceX's fastest turnaround between missions and demonstrates the company's operational cadence as it scales launch frequency. For Globalstar, replenishing its constellation is critical to delivering resilient satellite services worldwide. The company announced in May that Amazon intends to acquire Globalstar, a deal expected to close in 2027 that would give Amazon's low Earth orbit constellation direct-to-device capabilities to compete with SpaceX and AST SpaceMobile. The USSF-366 mission adds to SpaceX's portfolio of national security launches under the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 task order.
The Bottom Line
SpaceX successfully executed two Falcon 9 missions within record time, advancing Globalstar's satellite constellation replacement while also delivering a classified U.S. Space Force payload. The achievements underscore SpaceX's growing launch cadence and its role as a key provider for both commercial and government customers.