SpaceX successfully launches 24 Starlink satellites into orbit

In the United States on September 13, 2025, SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket, delivering 24 V2 Mini Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. The launch took place from launch site SLC-4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, with ignition occurring at 1:55 p.m. EDT. This mission marks SpaceX's 42nd launch from California this year, and it increases the total number of Starlink satellites in orbit to over 8,400. The Falcon 9 first stage booster has been previously used for 27 missions, showing the company's commitment to reusability. After approximately eight minutes, the rocket was expected to separate from the payload, with its recovery planned near Southern California after a controlled descent into the Pacific Ocean. Following this launch, SpaceX has additional missions scheduled, including a Falcon 9 launch on Sunday that will carry Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus mission to the International Space Station, along with two more Starlink launches set for the following week.