SpaceX launches Starlink satellites from Space Force base in California, lands on ship at sea (video)

SpaceX kicked off a busy weekend with the launch of a batch of Starlink satellites this evening (May 23) from California, the first of up to three potential Starlink launches between Friday and Sunday.

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

The stack of 23 Starlink satellites began their journey into low Earth orbit (LEO) aboard a Falcon 9 first-stage booster designated B1075. This was the 18th launch of B1075, which has supported 14 previous Starlink missions.

The nine Merlin engines at the business end of B1075 cut off approximately 2.5 minutes into flight, followed in short order by the separation of the booster from the rocket's upper stage.

About 8.5 minutes after liftoff, the booster landed safely on SpaceX's Of Course I Still Love You drone ship, stationed in the Pacific Ocean. This was the 450th successful landing of a Falcon 9 rocket, according to SpaceX.

The rocket's upper stage continued toward LEO with the 23 Starlink satellites, where they were released from the rocket's payload adapter about one hour into flight. Each satellite will maneuver into more specific orbits to within the Starlink megaconstellation over the next few days.

SpaceX's Starlink network consists of more than 7,000 operational satellites and counting. As a whole, they operate in a lattice that provides a blanket of coverage to nearly all of the planet. Starlink offers users a high-speed internet connection from anywhere customers are able to point their Starlink receiver toward the sky (other than the poles).

Tonight's launch was SpaceX's 61st Falcon 9 mission of 2025 and 63rd liftoff so far this year. The other two missions involved Starship, SpaceX's next-generation super-heavy-lift rocket. SpaceX announced Friday the next test flight of Starship will take place Tuesday, May 27.