SpaceX launches Starlink mission on Falcon 9 for first time in weeks, nails landing

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 27 Starlink satellites from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base on Oct. 12, 2026 at 8:28 p.m. EDT (5:28 p.m. local time; 0028 GMT on Oct. 13). Full Story: According to Space.com, it was the first Starlink mission for a Falcon 9 since Sept. 19, which was another 27-satellite liftoff from Vandenberg. For some perspective on this recent gap: Between Aug. 19 and Sept. 6, a span of 19 days, SpaceX launched seven Starlink missions with Falcon 9s.