SpaceX Sends 24 Starlink Satellites Into Orbit on Falcon 9 From Vandenberg
Summary: On June 28, 2026, a SpaceX Falcon 9 launched 24 Starlink v2 Mini satellites from SLC-4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, part of a week with six orbital launches worldwide.
On Sunday, June 28, 2026, SpaceX successfully launched 24 Starlink v2 Mini satellites into low Earth orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. Designated Starlink Group 17-40, the mission used booster B1088, which landed on the drone ship Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) in the Pacific Ocean following stage separation. This was a routine recovery operation for SpaceX, which has made booster reuse a cornerstone of its launch cadence.
According to Space.com, this launch was one of six orbital missions carried out worldwide during the week of June 23–28, 2026 — a testament to the growing frequency of commercial spaceflight. The Starlink v2 Mini satellites deployed in this batch represent SpaceX's current production variant, offering significantly higher per-satellite communication capacity compared to the earlier v1.5 design. With thousands of satellites already in orbit, the Starlink constellation provides broadband internet coverage to users across much of the globe, including remote and underserved regions.
SpaceX continues to ramp up its Starlink deployment pace from both coasts of the United States, with Vandenberg serving as the primary West Coast launch site and Cape Canaveral handling the majority of East Coast missions. The company has conducted dozens of Starlink launches in 2026 alone, steadily advancing toward its goal of a fully operational global constellation.