SpaceX launches 2026's first West Coast Starlink mission - VIDEO

SpaceX has carried out its first West Coast Starlink launch of 2026, placing satellites into a polar low Earth orbit.

The Starlink 17-30 mission deployed 25 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites, further expanding the company’s megaconstellation.

The launch marked SpaceX’s sixth Starlink mission so far this year.

Liftoff occurred from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base at 9:47:29 p.m. PST (12:47:29 a.m. EST / 05:47:29 UTC). After leaving the launch pad, the rocket flew along a southerly trajectory.

Watch Falcon 9 launch 25 @Starlink satellites to orbit from California https://t.co/5Ld9qG3Mhh

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 22, 2026

SpaceX launched the mission using the Falcon 9 first stage booster with the tail number 1093. This was its 10th flight after launching two flights for the Space Development Agency and seven previous batches of Starlink satellites.

A little more than eight minutes after liftoff, B1093 landed on the drone ship, ‘Of Course I Still Love You,’ positioned in the Pacific Ocean. This was the 172nd landing on this vessel and the 562nd orbital booster landing for SpaceX.

Stabil.Az