SpaceX successfully launched another group of its Starlink internet satellites on Saturday, September 21, marking the company's 119th Falcon 9 mission of 2025. The rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida during the early morning hours.
The mission added 28 satellites to the company's growing low Earth orbit constellation, which provides internet services to locations around the globe. The first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket, a reusable booster, completed its eleventh flight before landing safely on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
Key Takeaways
- SpaceX launched 28 Starlink satellites on September 21, 2025, at 6:53 a.m. EDT.
- The launch took place from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.
- This was the 119th Falcon 9 mission for SpaceX in 2025.
- The Falcon 9 first-stage booster, B1085, successfully completed its 11th mission.
- The satellites were deployed into low Earth orbit approximately 64 minutes after liftoff.
Mission Profile and Timeline
The Falcon 9 rocket ignited its engines and ascended from the launch pad at precisely 6:53 a.m. EDT (1053 GMT). The vehicle carried its payload of 28 Starlink satellites, beginning a carefully choreographed sequence of events to deliver them to orbit.
Following stage separation, the first stage of the rocket began its descent back to Earth. Approximately 8.5 minutes after the launch, the booster executed a precision landing on the SpaceX drone ship named "A Shortfall of Gravitas," which was positioned in the Atlantic Ocean. This recovery is a key part of SpaceX's strategy to reduce launch costs through reusability.
Meanwhile, the rocket's upper stage continued its journey. It carried the stack of satellites further into space, positioning them for deployment. According to SpaceX, the 28 Starlink satellites were successfully released into their intended low Earth orbit about 64 minutes after liftoff, completing the primary objective of the mission.
What is Starlink?
Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by SpaceX. It is designed to provide high-speed, low-latency broadband internet to locations where access has been unreliable, expensive, or completely unavailable. The system works by using thousands of small satellites in low Earth orbit, which communicate with ground-based transceivers.
A Reusable Booster's Eleventh Journey
The first-stage booster used for this mission, identified by the designation B1085, has a notable flight history. This launch marked its eleventh successful mission, underscoring the reliability and cost-effectiveness of SpaceX's reusable rocket technology.
The ability to fly the same booster multiple times allows SpaceX to maintain a high launch frequency and reduce the turnaround time between missions. This capability has been instrumental in the rapid build-out of the Starlink constellation.
Previous Missions of Booster B1085
Before this flight, booster B1085 supported a diverse range of important missions for both government and commercial customers. Its flight manifest highlights its versatility and reliability.
- Crew-9: A NASA mission carrying astronauts to the International Space Station.
- Fram2: A private astronaut mission.
- Firefly Blue Ghost Mission 1: A mission that sent a private robotic lander to the Moon.
- RRT-1: A rideshare mission carrying multiple small satellites.
- SXM-10: Deployment of a communications satellite.
- MTG-S1: A mission to deploy a meteorological satellite.
- Four Starlink Missions: Previous flights dedicated to expanding the internet constellation.
SpaceX's High Launch Cadence in 2025
This mission continues an aggressive launch schedule for SpaceX throughout 2025. The flight from Cape Canaveral was the company's 119th Falcon 9 launch of the year. This rapid pace is primarily driven by the ongoing deployment of the Starlink network, which requires hundreds of launches to build and maintain.
Launch Statistics for 2025
In addition to its 119 Falcon 9 flights, SpaceX has also conducted four test flights of its next-generation Starship vehicle in 2025. This brings the company's total number of launches for the year to 123.
The company's ability to refurbish and reuse Falcon 9 boosters is the primary enabler of this high cadence. By consistently recovering and reflying its hardware, SpaceX has dramatically increased access to space while lowering operational costs.
Focus on Future Systems
While the Falcon 9 remains the workhorse of SpaceX's launch fleet, the company continues to develop its next-generation launch system, Starship. This larger, fully reusable rocket is being designed for missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
SpaceX has conducted several suborbital test flights of Starship in 2025. The most recent flight, the tenth overall for the vehicle, took place on August 26. SpaceX reported that the launch was a complete success, marking another step forward in the vehicle's development program.
The Starship program runs in parallel with the high-tempo operations of the Falcon 9 and Starlink programs. The company's long-term vision involves using Starship to launch even larger batches of Starlink satellites and eventually to support human settlement on other planets.