Image: @SpaceX on X
SpaceX capped off the week with yet another successful Starlink mission, sending 24 more of its internet-beaming satellites into orbit late Friday night from California.
A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base on Friday, July 18, at 8:52 p.m. PT / 11:52 p.m. ET. About an hour later, the upper stage deployed the satellites into low Earth orbit, SpaceX confirmed in a post on X.
This was the 14th flight for the rocket’s reusable first stage, which landed smoothly aboard the autonomous droneship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean. The launch marked SpaceX’s 88th Falcon 9 mission of 2025 and 516th overall, underscoring the company’s relentless launch cadence.
Dubbed Starlink Group 17-3, Friday’s mission brings the active Starlink satellite count to over 7,965 — out of more than 9,200 launched since 2019. Starlink delivers high-speed broadband internet across the globe, especially to underserved and remote areas. It has recently also begun rolling out direct-to-cell service with select partner carriers.
The launch comes just two days after SpaceX launched the KF-01 mission for Amazon’s Starlink competitor, Project Kuiper, from Florida. Meanwhile, SpaceX is preparing for its fifth O3b mPOWER mission for SES Satellites, scheduled for Monday, July 21, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s SLC-40.
Looking ahead, the company plans to begin deploying its third-generation Starlink satellites starting in the first half of 2026 — promising even faster and more reliable service.
Starlink recently celebrated a major milestone, surpassing 2 million active subscribers in the U.S. and 500,000 in Canada, as its global coverage and service capabilities continue to grow.
Watch the full launch replay below.
