SpaceX Launches 24 Starlink Satellites From Vandenberg, Expanding Broadband Constellation

SpaceX launched 24 Starlink satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, adding another batch to its low‑Earth‑orbit broadband constellation and continuing the company’s 2026 deployment schedule.

Falcon 9 performed its standard two‑stage flight, igniting its Merlin engines for liftoff, separating the first stage after ascent, and delivering the payload into a polar orbit that passes over the Pacific, a trajectory suited for global coverage.

Starlink satellites each carry phased‑array antennas and onboard propulsion, enabling precise positioning and station‑keeping; the 24‑satellite batch increases the network’s capacity, helping to extend high‑speed internet service to remote and underserved areas.

Vandenberg launch site, located on the central California coastline, supports polar launches by allowing rockets to fly southward over open ocean, and this mission underscores SpaceX’s use of the west‑coast facility to maintain a steady launch cadence.