Falcon 9 SpaceX launches 24 Starlink satellites into polar orbit on Falcon 9 rocket from California July 18, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith The mission is part of SpaceX’s plan to bolster its internet network in Alaska and other polar regions. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from pad 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base at 8:52 p.m. PDT (11:52 p.m. EDT / 0352 UTC).