SLC-40 – Spaceflight Now

SpaceX launches 29 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral

January 12, 2026 Will Robinson-Smith

The Starlink 6-97 mission was the fifth Falcon 9 rocket launch of 2026, a rate of roughly one flight every 2.5 days. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station happened at 4:08:20 p.m. EST (2108:20 UTC).

FCC gives SpaceX “green light” to expand Starlink constellation to 15,000 satellites

January 8, 2026 Will Robinson-Smith

The Starlink 6-96 mission added another 29 broadband internet satellites to the low Earth orbit constellation. SpaceX launched from Space Launch Complex 40 on Friday, Jan. 9, at 4:41 p.m. EST (2141 UTC).

SpaceX launches first Starlink deployment mission since problem strikes satellite

January 4, 2026 Will Robinson-Smith

The Starlink 6-88 added 29 broadband internet satellites to the constellation of more than 9,300 in low Earth orbit. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station happened at 1:48 a.m. EST (0648 UTC).

SpaceX launches classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office

December 9, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

The mission, dubbed NROL-77, was the final time SpaceX uses Landing Zone 2 to recover a first stage Falcon booster. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station happened at 2:16 p.m. EST (1916 UTC).

Launch preview: SpaceX to launch new, improved Northrop Grumman Cygnus XL resupply ship to the space station

September 14, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

The new Cygnus XL spacecraft will deliver more than 11,000 pounds (4,990 kg) of food, science supplies and cargo to the International Space Station. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station happened at 6:11 a.m. EDT (2211 UTC).

Department of the Air Force, FAA clear SpaceX to launch up to 120 Falcon 9 rockets annually from Cape Canaveral

September 12, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

The move not only allows SpaceX to increase its allowed launches at pad 40 from 50 to 120, but it also permits the Texas-based company to construct a new landing site adjacent to the launch pad.

SpaceX completes static fire of Falcon 9 rocket ahead of Starlink and Crew 9 missions

August 19, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The booster will first launch the Starlink 10-5 mission no earlier than the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 20. The static fire test happened Monday evening shortly after 7 p.m. EDT (2300 UTC).

SpaceX launches 23 Starlink satellites onboard Falcon 9 flight from Cape Canaveral

March 30, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station occurred at 9:30 p.m. EDT (0130 UTC).

Dragon soars from Cape Canaveral’s pad 40 on SpaceX’s 30th cargo mission to the Space Station

March 20, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The Commercial Resupply Services-30 (CRS-30) mission featured the first launch of a Dragon spacecraft to the ISS from pad 40 since the final first-generation SpaceX cargo ship flew in March 2020.

SpaceX tests new emergency escape system to certify pad 40 at Cape Canaveral for astronaut missions

February 27, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The slide system differs notably from the slide wire basket system used over at Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. NASA officials said pad 40 will be ready for astronaut launches this year.