Video: Press conference following Falcon launch and landing

The Starlink 6-72 mission was the 26th launch of Starlink satellites in 2025. Liftoff of from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station happened at 11:07 p.m. EDT (0307 UTC).

United Launch Alliance and SpaceX recently won contracts worth $739 million to send six missions into orbit for the U.S. military, and the Air Force has announced a new title for its flagship launcher program, dropping “expendable” from the name in a new era of reusable rockets.

Nine Merlin engines on the first stage of SpaceX’s next Falcon 9 rocket briefly fired up on a Cape Canaveral launch pad Wednesday, and the launcher cleared a customary pre-flight checkout in preparation for liftoff early Sunday with a Canadian-owned communications satellite.