SpaceX launches fresh group of Starlink satellites from foggy Vandenberg Space Force Base, successfully lands booster (video)

SpaceX kicked off a busy day with a Starlink satellite launch, which will be followed by the ninth-ever test flight of the company’s Starship megarocket, if all goes to plan.

A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base today (May 27) at 12:57 p.m. EDT (1657 GMT; 9:57 a.m. local time), carrying the first batch of a new Starlink group into low Earth orbit (LEO). This mission, Starlink 17-1, was the 13th launch for this Falcon’s 9 first stage booster, designated B1082, which was successfully recovered after flight for refurbishment.

SpaceX Starlink mission designations correspond to the orbital inclinations of different satellite groups, with Starlink 17-1 beginning a new group inclination.

the tail end of a blazing rocket looks down from space at Earth — B1082 in flight during Starlink 17-1 launch. (Image credit: Future)

Main engine cutoff and stage separation with B1082 occurred 2.5 minutes into flight, with the Falcon 9’s upper stage continuing to LEO as the booster maneuvered to perform a deceleration burn.

About 8.5 minutes after liftoff, B1082 landed safely on SpaceX’s Of Course I Still Love You drone ship, stationed in the Pacific Ocean. The Starlink stack is expected to be released from the Falcon 9 upper stage’s payload adapter about one hour into flight, to begin moving into individualized orbits within the Starlink megaconstellation over the next several days.

an illustration of a rocket launching on an arcing trajectory and then landing upright on a flat barge

Graphic showing the general outline for SpaceX’s rocket landing on a droneship at sea. (Image credit: SpaceX)

SpaceX’s Starlink network consists of more than 7,000 operational satellites and counting. As a whole, they operate in a lattice that provides a blanket of coverage to nearly all of the planet. Starlink offers users a high-speed internet connection from anywhere customers are able to point their Starlink receiver toward the sky (other than the poles).

Today’s launch was SpaceX’s 63rd Falcon 9 mission of 2025 and 63rd liftoff so far this year.

The ninth flight test of SpaceX’s Starship megarocket is scheduled for later today, with an hour-long launch window opening at 7:30 p.m. EDT (2330 GMT). A livestream of Starship Flight Test 9 will be available on the Space.com homepage and YouTube channel, as well as on SpaceX’s Flight 9 mission page, the @SpaceX X account and X TV app.