SpaceX Successfully Launches 24 Starlink Satellites from California

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, California — SpaceX launched its latest batch of Starlink V2 Mini satellites on Friday, August 23, 2025, adding 24 new satellites to its low Earth orbit constellation during the Starlink 17-6 mission. Liftoff occurred at 10:04 a.m. PDT (1:04 p.m. EDT / 1704 UTC) from Space Launch Complex 4 East, marking the company’s 27th Starlink launch from Vandenberg this year.

Following a successful deployment of the satellites, SpaceX confirmed via social media that they were in orbit just over an hour after launch. This mission further expands SpaceX’s growing fleet of Starlink satellites, bringing the total number launched in 2025 to over 1,800.

SpaceX utilized the Falcon 9 rocket, specifically the first stage booster tail number B1081, which has flown 17 times. B1081 is known for prior missions that included NASA’s PACE, NASA’s TRACERS, and Crew-7. About 8.5 minutes post-liftoff, B1081 successfully landed on the droneship ‘Of Course I Still Love You,’ which was stationed in the Pacific Ocean. This marks the 146th successful booster landing on that vessel.

As part of its ambitious plans, SpaceX aims to reduce its workforce by 10 percent, a move that company insiders announced late Friday.

The recent launch carried 24 V2 Mini satellites, which is the maximum capacity for a Falcon 9 flight. The mission was noteworthy as it marked the 100th Falcon 9 flight of 2025 and SpaceX’s 103rd overall mission for the year, including three suborbital test flights of the Starship rocket aimed at future Moon and Mars missions. The booster supporting this mission previously launched various missions including NROL-126 and Transporter-12.

SpaceX is also preparing to perform a launch of another group of Starlink satellites next week. They are currently readying a Falcon 9 rocket for launch at Kennedy Space Center’s historic pad 39A.

The Starlink constellation now consists of more than 8,100 active satellites, contributing to global internet access since the project began in 2018.