SpaceX resumes Falcon 9 Starlink launches after three-week pause
SpaceX launched 27 Starlink broadband satellites aboard a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Oct. 12, 2026. It was the first Falcon 9 Starlink flight since Sept. 19, ending a roughly three-week gap. The company also sent 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites up on Starship's 14th test flight on Sept. 28.
After a Falcon 9 Starlink batch from Vandenberg on Sept. 19, the next such flight came Oct. 12, 2026, carrying 27 broadband craft. During a 19-day stretch from Aug. 19 to Sept. 6, seven Falcon 9 Starlink missions had flown, making the later pause notable.
SpaceX also placed 26 Starlink V3 satellites during Starship’s 14th test flight on Sept. 28. That vehicle reached orbit and deployed them. Falcon 9’s first stage B1088 landed on “Of Course I Still Love You” after its 20th flight; the upper stage released the payload 62 minutes after liftoff.
The resumed Falcon 9 Starlink launches may help maintain service for users in areas relying on satellite broadband, while the growing constellation could increase concerns about orbital traffic and night-sky visibility. SpaceX’s planned shift toward Starship may affect launch industry suppliers and customers as Falcon 9’s role changes. These effects remain uncertain and depend on regulatory, technical, and market developments.