SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket starts Starlink satellite from California, ends up on the ship at sea

SpaceX started a busy weekend with the start of a series of Starlink satellites that evening (May 23) from California, the first of up to three potential Starlink starts between Friday and Sunday.

A Falcon 9 rocket started today at 4:36 p.m. EDT (1:36 p.m. local time; 2036 GMT) from SpaceX's Starlink 11-16 Mission from Vandenberg Space Force.

The stack of 23 Starlink satellites began her trip to the Low Earth Orbit (Leo) on board a Falcon 9-booster in the first stage B1075. This was the 18th start of B1075, which supported 14 former Starlink missions.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket starts on May 9, 2025 26 Starlink satellites from the California Vandenberg Space Force Base. (Credit: SpaceX)

The nine Merlin engines at the B1075 end of the B1075 cut off about 2.5 minutes after the flight, in a short time by separating the booster from the upper level of the rocket.

About 8.5 minutes after the elevator, the booster landed safely on SpaceX SpaceX. Of course, I still love you that you have stationed drone ship in the Pacific Ocean. According to SpaceX, this was the 450. Successful landing of a Falcon 9 rocket.

Falcon lands for the 450th time! pic.twitter.com/zozdvhulspMay 23, 2025

The upper stage of the rocket continued with the 23 Starlink satellites in the direction of Leo, where they were released about an hour after the rocket use adapter was flight. Each satellite will be maneuvered in the next few days into more specific orbits for the Starlink mega -Megakonstellation.

An illustration of a rocket that starts on a arc path and then ends up on a flat load barge

Graphics shows the general outline for SpaceX 'rocket landing on a drunship at sea. (Credit: SpaceX)

The Starlink network from SpaceX consists of more than 7,000 operational satellites and count. Overall, they work in a grid that almost offers the entire planet covering the cover. Starlink offers users a high-speed internet connection from wherever where customers can refer their Starlink recipient to the sky (except the poles).

Today's start was SpaceXs 61. Falcon 9 Mission from 2025 and 63. So far this year. The other two missions included the Starship, SpaceX 'Super Heavy Lift rocket of the next generation. SpaceX announced on Friday that the next test flight of the Starship will take place on Tuesday, May 27th.

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