SpaceX launches its 50th mission of the year, sends 25 Starlink satellites to orbit (video)
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Credit: SpaceX
SpaceX has just launched its 50th mission of the year.
The defining moment occurred on Sunday morning (April 26), when a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 25 of SpaceX Star link broadband satellites took off from Vandenberg Space Base in California.
The rocket lifted off from the pad at 10:37 a.m. EDT (2:37 p.m. GMT; 7:37 a.m. California local time). About eight minutes later, the Falcon 9 first stage descended to Earth for a landing in the Pacific Ocean atop the EspaceX droneship “Of course, I still love you.”
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 25 Starlink satellites from California on April 26, 2026. This was SpaceX’s 50th launch of the year. | Credit: SpaceX
This was the 15th launch and landing of this particular booster, designated 1088.
Meanwhile, the Falcon 9 upper stage continued to transport Starlink satellites to low earth orbit. The spacecraft was deployed as planned just over 61 minutes after liftoff, SpaceX announced via social networks.
The newcomers join the largest constellation ever formed, which currently consists of nearly 10,300 active satellites. And it’s growing, as Sunday’s launch shows: Forty-two of SpaceX’s 50 launches this year have been Starlink missions.
Previous Booster 1088 Missions
NROL-126 | Carrier-12 | SPHEREx | NROL-57 | 10 Starlink missions
These 50 launches were carried out by Falcon 9s. SpaceX also flies two other rockets, Heavy Falcon and Starship, but neither took off in 2026.
That will change soon, if all goes according to plan. Indeed, a Falcon Heavy was to be launched on Monday April 27, carrying the ViaSat-3 F3 communications satellite into orbit, but bad weather canceled this plan. SpaceX is currently I’m watching Wednesday morning (April 29) for this takeoff, which will be the first for a Falcon Heavy since October 2024.
Spacecraftthat SpaceX is developing to take people to the moon and Mars, among other tasks, is still in the test flight phase. Company prepares for Starship’s 12th suborbital test, which could take place from next month.
Fifty launches at this point puts SpaceX on track for about 160 orbital missions in 2026. That would be a little less than the company file165, which he set last year. (SpaceX also launched five suborbital spacecraft test flights in 2025, bringing its total takeoffs to 170.)
