SpaceX Launches 26 Starlink Satellites from California on May 9

SAN DIEGO, California — SpaceX is set to launch 26 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit on Friday, May 9, 2025. The launch will take place from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base. Liftoff is targeted for 5:19 p.m. PDT (8:19 p.m. EDT, 0019 UTC).

The Starlink 15-3 mission is significant as it represents the first Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base this month. This launch had been postponed multiple times, initially scheduled for May 3 before being delayed again.

SpaceX will utilize the Falcon 9 first stage booster, tail number 1081. This is the 14th flight for this particular booster, which has previously supported missions including NASA’s PACE spacecraft and several crew and cargo missions.

A little over eight minutes after liftoff, the booster is expected to land on SpaceX’s droneship, ‘Of Course I Still Love You.’ If this landing is successful, it will mark the 128th successful booster landing on that vessel and the 441st overall.

SpaceX has noted that residents in the Southwest United States should expect to see an increased number of Falcon 9 launches this year. Recently, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved an increase in launch opportunities from SLC-4E.

A live webcast of the launch will be available to viewers, beginning approximately five minutes before liftoff. Residents in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties may also hear sounds associated with the launch, depending on local weather conditions.