Starlink Group 15-22 Launches Successfully — 26 Aug 2026

What happened?

SpaceX successfully launched the Starlink Group 15-22 mission on a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, on 26 August 2026 at 09:35 UTC. The mission added a new batch of Starlink broadband satellites to low Earth orbit and was declared a success by SpaceX.

Starlink is SpaceX's satellite internet constellation, delivering high-speed, low-latency broadband to customers worldwide from a shell of spacecraft in low Earth orbit. Group 15-22 is the latest in a near-continuous stream of Starlink deployments from both U.S. coasts.

Did the launch succeed?

Yes. The launch is confirmed as a Success. Falcon 9's first stage completed its ascent burn before separating, and the second stage carried the Starlink satellites toward their intended low Earth orbit, targeting an altitude near 300 km before the satellites raise themselves to an operational shell around 550 km.

What was the payload?

The payload was a batch of SpaceX's own Starlink v2 Mini satellites, each equipped with laser inter-satellite links and phased-array antennas. West Coast launches from Vandenberg typically deliver satellites into higher-inclination orbits, filling coverage gaps toward the poles. The Starlink network has grown to include more than 8,000 operational satellites, making it by far the largest satellite constellation ever deployed.

The rocket and booster

The Falcon 9 Block 5 is a two-stage, partially reusable orbital rocket standing 70 meters tall with nine Merlin 1D engines on its first stage producing roughly 7,600 kN of thrust at liftoff. SpaceX routinely recovers and reflies these boosters, with individual first stages having flown well over 20 missions each — a cadence that underpins the company's high launch rate.

Why launch from Vandenberg?

Space Launch Complex 4E on the California coast supports launches into higher-inclination and polar orbits, sending rockets south over the Pacific. It complements SpaceX's Florida pads and is a core node for building out the polar-covering portions of the Starlink shell. You can explore more missions from the site on our Vandenberg launch schedule.

How to watch and track it

SpaceX streamed the mission live via its webcast beginning a few minutes before liftoff. If you missed the launch, you can still follow the newly deployed spacecraft as they spread out along their orbital plane. Freshly launched Starlink satellites travel in a tight, bright chain visible from the ground shortly after deployment — see our Starlink train visibility guide to spot them.

Track the full constellation in real time on the Cosmik 3D live map, and dive into the dedicated Starlink satellite tracker to watch Group 15-22 join the network. For upcoming missions, check the full rocket launch schedule and the latest launch news.

What's next for Starlink?

SpaceX maintains one of the highest launch cadences in history, flying Starlink batches from Vandenberg, Cape Canaveral, and Kennedy on a rolling schedule. Each mission adds capacity and resilience to the network, which continues to expand toward tens of thousands of planned satellites. Follow all upcoming SpaceX flights on our SpaceX launch hub.

Background and sources

Launch data is sourced from the open Launch Library API. For further reading, see the Wikipedia pages for Falcon 9, Starlink, and Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Follow the mission live on Cosmik

Watch Starlink Group 15-22 orbit Earth in real time on the free Cosmik 3D solar-system and satellite map, and enable free launch alerts so you never miss the next Falcon 9 liftoff.