SpaceX is poised to mark a milestone in its launch cadence, targeting its 100th orbital mission of the year with an overnight Falcon 9 flight from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
What Happened
The Starlink 15-20 mission is scheduled to lift off from Space Launch Complex 4 East at 12:25 a.m. PDT (3:25 a.m. EDT / 0725 UTC), carrying 29 broadband internet satellites to low Earth orbit. The Falcon 9 first stage booster, designated B1100, will attempt its ninth landing on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You positioned in the Pacific Ocean approximately 8.5 minutes after liftoff. If successful, it would mark the 220th landing on that vessel and the 653rd total Falcon booster recovery to date. The rocket will follow a south-easterly trajectory upon leaving the pad. SpaceX founder Elon Musk confirmed Friday that the company now operates more than 11,000 Starlink satellites in orbit.
Why It Matters
Reaching 100 missions in under eight months underscores SpaceX's unmatched launch frequency compared to any other orbital provider globally. The milestone highlights the company's operational maturity with rapid booster reuse—B1100 flying for the ninth time demonstrates sustained reliability of the Falcon 9 fleet. For Starlink, each batch expands coverage and capacity for the growing subscriber base relying on broadband service worldwide.
The Bottom Line
SpaceX's 100th orbital mission of 2026 carries a standard Starlink batch from Vandenberg aboard a well-flown Falcon 9 booster with a landing attempt on Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean.