Falcon 9 Lifts Off After 11-Day Pause as Starlink Fleet Passes 11,000

SpaceX is transitioning its launch operations from the Falcon 9 to the larger Starship vehicle, a shift that has slowed the frequency of Starlink deployments. On Oct. 23, the company executed its 116th Falcon 9 mission of the year from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The launch, which took place at 6:48 p.m. EDT, carried 27 spacecraft of Starlink Group 15-15 into orbit. The Falcon 9 first stage, designated B1063, separated from the upper stage approximately 2.5 minutes after liftoff. The booster subsequently landed on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You, marking its 36th successful flight and landing.

This mission occurred after an 11-day gap since the previous launch. That prior flight was itself the first in more than three weeks. At their peak, Falcon 9 Starlink missions launched from California and Florida every two to three days. The Oct. 23 flight was the 116th for the rocket in 2026, with roughly three-quarters of those missions dedicated to the Starlink constellation.

The Starlink network now comprises more than 11,000 active spacecraft. SpaceX is developing the Starship rocket to handle the next generation of these satellites. The Version 3 Starlink units are too large for the Falcon 9 payload bay, necessitating the use of the new vehicle for future expansions. Once operational, SpaceX intends to phase out the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy almost entirely.

The 100th Falcon 9 launch of 2026, which deployed the Starlink 10-49 group from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, has been identified as the final Starlink mission to fly from Florida’s Space Coast. A similar conclusion may apply to launches from the West Coast. The reduced pace of flights suggests that 2025, when the rocket completed 165 launches, will remain its busiest year on record.

At the current rate of operations, the Falcon 9 is projected to complete just under 150 missions by the end of 2026. The Oct. 23 mission saw the upper stage complete its first burn shortly after the booster landed. It then coasted for about 45 minutes before executing a second burn to insert the satellites into low Earth orbit. Deployment began 62 minutes after liftoff.