SpaceX launches Starlink satellites from California as Falcon 9 cadence slows (photos)

According to Space.com, SpaceX launched 27 Starlink satellites from California on October 23, adding to a constellation of more than 11,000 active spacecraft. The Falcon 9 booster completed its 36th flight and landed on a droneship, while the upper stage prepared to deploy the satellites about 62 minutes after liftoff.

The launch cadence has slowed as SpaceX shifts focus to Starship, which will carry larger Version 3 satellites. At peak, missions flew every two to three days, but the previous launch was 11 days earlier after a gap of more than three weeks. The 100th Falcon 9 launch of 2026 from Florida was reportedly the final Falcon 9 Starlink mission from that coast, with a similar transition possible for West Coast launches.

Falcon 9 has flown 116 times in 2026, roughly three-quarters for Starlink. The reduced pace makes 2025 the busiest year with 165 launches, while 2026 may see just under 150 missions.

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SpaceX launches Starlink satellites from California as Falcon 9 cadence slows (photos) — Space.com