SpaceX launches 28 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg SFB

File: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stands in launch position at Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base at sunset. Image: SpaceX

Update Oct. 8, 12:25 a.m. EDT (0425 UTC): SpaceX landed the Falcon 9 booster on its drone ship.

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket Tuesday night, which add another 28 Starlink V2 Mini satellites to its megaconstellation in low Earth orbit.

The Starlink 11-17 mission flew on a south-easterly trajectory upon departure from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 4 East happened at 8:54 p.m. PDT (11:54 p.m. EDT / 0354 UTC).



SpaceX launched this mission using the Falcon 9 booster with the tail number B1071. This is the second-most flown booster, with this being its 29th flight.

Its previous missions include NASA’s SWOT, five missions for the National Reconnaissance Office and four ride share missions (three Transporter and one Bandwagon).

Nearly 8.5 minutes after liftoff, B1071 performed an autonomous landing on the drone ship, ‘Of Course I Still Love You.’ This was the 156th landing on this vessel and the 516th booster landing to date.