SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket returned to the spotlight after successfully launching 29 Starlink satellites from Florida. The mission lifted off from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on January 18th, 2026, at 6:31 p.m. EDT, sending the new batch of satellites into low Earth orbit. With this launch, SpaceX continued its steady launch streak while further expanding its global satellite network.
Mission progress and booster landing
According to SpaceX, the Falcon 9 upper stage reached its initial parking orbit around 9 minutes after liftoff. After this, the stage entered a planned coast phase to prepare for deployment, followed by the second burn of its Merlin engine.
The mission also marked another milestone for reusability. The Falcon 9 first-stage booster, designated B1080, completed its 24th successful flight. The booster then carried out a controlled landing on the droneship “ A Shortfall of Gravitas” in the Atlantic Ocean, touching down safely with all 4 landing legs deployed.
Starlink network continues to grow
As noted in Starlink data from an independent space tracking report, the Starlink constellation has now crossed more than 9,500 active satellites in orbit. The expanding network supports internet access in remote and underserved regions. It also strengthens in-flight connectivity for airlines and enables direct cell-to-satellite calling services for telecom providers.
This mission was SpaceX’s 8th launch of 2026. With it, the total number of Falcon 9 missions has climbed to 591 since the rocket’s first launch in 2010, underlining SpaceX’s continued pace and scale in orbital launches.
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