Update June 17, 1:35 a.m. EDT: SpaceX confirmed deployment of the Starlink satellites.
SpaceX launched its latest batch of 26 Starlink V2 Mini satellites into low Earth orbit shortly after sunset Monday night, offering a twilight spectacle for launch enthusiasts across Southern California and the Southwest.
The mission, dubbed Starlink 15-9, was the 200th orbital launch to date from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Station. Liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket happened at 8:36 p.m. PDT (11:36 p.m. EDT, 0336 UTC).
SpaceX will use the Falcon 9 rocket booster tail number B1093, which will make its third flight. It previously launched the Starlink 11-11 and Starlink 15-5 missions.
A little more than eight minutes after liftoff, B1093 landed on the droneship, ‘Of Course I Still Love You.’ This was the 137th touchdown on this vessel and the 463rd booster landing to date.
Among the 199 previous orbital launches from SLC-4E, 131 of them were Falcon 9 rockets. The pad was first occupied by the Atlas-Agena rocket shortly after the Air Force Western Test Range activated in May 1964.
It would go on to launch multiple variants of the Titan rocket until October 2005.
SpaceX is currently going through the review process for acquiring SLC-6 as well to use for its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets.
