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**SpaceX Launches Starlink Satellites, Kicks Off Busy Weekend of Missions**

**VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. —** SpaceX initiated a packed weekend of launches with the successful deployment of 23 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO) today, May 23, 2025. A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 4:36 p.m. EDT (1:36 p.m. local time) on the Starlink 11-16 mission.

The Falcon 9’s first-stage booster, designated B1075, made its 18th successful flight, having previously supported 14 Starlink missions, as well as SDA-0A | SARah-2 | Transporter-11. Roughly 8.5 minutes after liftoff, the booster landed safely on SpaceX’s drone ship, “Of Course I Still Love You,” stationed in the Pacific Ocean. This marked the 450th successful landing of a Falcon 9 booster, a significant milestone for the company’s reusable rocket program.

The upper stage of the Falcon 9 continued its journey to LEO, where it released the 23 Starlink satellites approximately one hour after launch. The satellites will then maneuver into their designated positions within the ever-growing Starlink megaconstellation, designed to provide high-speed internet access around the globe.

SpaceX’s Starlink network currently consists of over 7,000 operational satellites, blanketing the planet with internet connectivity for users with a Starlink receiver.

This launch was SpaceX’s 61st Falcon 9 mission of 2025 and its 63rd launch overall this year. Looking ahead, SpaceX plans to conduct a test flight of its next-generation Starship rocket on Tuesday, May 27.

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