SpaceX launched another batch of its Starlink internet satellites from California’s central coast today (Jan. 21).
A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 27 Starlink craft lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base today at 10:45 a.m. EST (1545 GMT; 7:45 a.m. local time).
The Falcon 9’s first stage returned to Earth about eight minutes after liftoff as planned, touching down in the Pacific Ocean on the SpaceX drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You.”
It was the 10th launch and landing for this particular booster, according to a SpaceX mission description. Eight of those flights were Starlink missions.
The Falcon 9’s upper stage, meanwhile, continued hauling the 27 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit. They were deployed there 61.5 minutes after liftoff as planned, SpaceX announced via X.
Today’s launch was the 10th Falcon 9 mission of 2025. In 2024, SpaceX launched more than 130 flights with the workhorse rocket, about two-thirds of them Starlink missions.
Source: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-launching-27-starlink-satellites-today-in-1st-flight-since-starship-explosion
