SpaceX is preparing for its final scheduled launch of September, a Falcon 9 mission set to carry 28 Starlink satellites into orbit from California. The Starlink 11-20 mission is scheduled to lift off from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Sunday, September 28, 2025, utilizing one of the company's most experienced boosters for its 28th flight.
Key Takeaways
- Mission: Starlink 11-20 will deploy 28 broadband internet satellites.
- Launch Date & Time: Sunday, September 28, 2025, at 4:32 p.m. PDT.
- Location: Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
- Booster: Falcon 9 first stage B1063 will be flying for a record 28th time.
- Recovery: The booster will attempt to land on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' in the Pacific Ocean.
Mission Details and Launch Timeline
The launch window for the Starlink 11-20 mission opens at 4:32 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (7:32 p.m. EDT / 2332 UTC). The Falcon 9 rocket will ascend from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg, following a south-easterly trajectory over the Pacific Ocean. This flight path is common for launches from this site aiming to place satellites into specific orbital inclinations.
Following a successful liftoff, the primary mission objective is to deliver the payload of 28 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. According to SpaceX, the satellite deployment sequence is expected to begin just over one hour after the launch. This mission marks the 88th flight dedicated to building out the Starlink megaconstellation in 2025 alone, highlighting the rapid pace of deployment for the satellite internet service.
A Veteran Booster Takes Flight
A key aspect of this mission is the reuse of the Falcon 9 first-stage booster, designated B1063. This will be the 28th launch and landing attempt for this particular piece of hardware, pushing the boundaries of rocket reusability. The ability to refly boosters is central to SpaceX's strategy of reducing the cost of access to space.
The History of Booster B1063
Booster B1063 has a distinguished flight history, having supported a variety of important missions. Some of its notable past flights include NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), the Transporter-7 rideshare mission, and the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich Earth observation satellite. Its continued service demonstrates the reliability and durability of the Falcon 9 design.
Each successful flight provides valuable data that helps SpaceX engineers understand the performance and wear on the components, further refining the refurbishment process for future missions.
Booster Recovery and Landing Operations
After separating from the second stage, the Falcon 9 booster B1063 will perform a series of engine burns to reorient itself and slow its descent back through Earth's atmosphere. The final landing burn is designed to bring it to a gentle touchdown on a drone ship positioned in the Pacific Ocean.
The target for this landing is the SpaceX autonomous spaceport drone ship, 'Of Course I Still Love You'. A successful recovery will mark another significant milestone for the company's reusability program.
Landing by the Numbers
- This will be the 154th successful landing on the 'Of Course I Still Love You' drone ship, if successful.
- It would also represent the 513th overall booster landing for SpaceX across all its recovery platforms.
These statistics underscore the routine nature of SpaceX's recovery operations, which were once considered a major technical challenge in the aerospace industry. Each successful landing adds another booster to the fleet available for future missions.
Expanding the Starlink Internet Constellation
The primary goal of the Starlink 11-20 mission is to continue the expansion of SpaceX's satellite internet service. The Starlink project aims to provide high-speed, low-latency broadband internet access to underserved and remote areas across the globe. The constellation consists of thousands of small satellites operating in low Earth orbit, which allows for faster signal travel times compared to traditional geostationary satellites.
"The Starlink megaconstellation is designed to deliver internet connectivity to locations where access has been unreliable, expensive, or completely unavailable."
With each launch, SpaceX adds more capacity and coverage to its network. The 28 satellites on this flight will join the thousands already in orbit, gradually improving service quality and expanding its reach to new regions. The company's consistent launch schedule, enabled by its reusable Falcon 9 rockets, is critical to achieving its ambitious goals for global internet coverage.