Starlink Group 15-24: Falcon 9 Launch Sept 6, 2026

SpaceX will launch Starlink Group 15-24 aboard a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket on September 6, 2026, at 10:59 UTC from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. The mission adds another batch of Starlink internet satellites to a low Earth orbit constellation that already numbers over 8,000 operational spacecraft.

What is Starlink Group 15-24?

Starlink is SpaceX's satellite internet network, delivering broadband from low Earth orbit to customers worldwide. Each Starlink launch carries a flat-packed stack of satellites that deploy into an initial parking orbit before raising themselves to their operational altitude of roughly 550 km using onboard ion thrusters. Group 15-24 is a dedicated batch flown into a shell served by the Vandenberg pads, which handle the constellation's higher-inclination orbital planes.

When is the launch?

The launch is currently Go with a net (no-earlier-than) time of 10:59 UTC on September 6, 2026. That converts to 3:59 a.m. PDT for local viewers near Vandenberg. Falcon 9 missions typically have instantaneous or short launch windows for Starlink deployments, so any weather or technical hold usually pushes the attempt to a backup opportunity the following day.

What is the payload?

The payload is a stack of Starlink v2 Mini satellites bound for low Earth orbit. Vandenberg-launched groups populate the higher-inclination planes of the constellation, extending coverage toward polar regions. Once released, the satellites spread out and climb to their operational shell near 550 km altitude, where atmospheric drag naturally deorbits any failed units within a few years — a design feature SpaceX cites for minimizing orbital debris.

You can watch the freshly deployed satellites drift across the sky as a bright Starlink train in the days after launch, and follow the full fleet on our live Starlink map.

How to watch live

SpaceX streams its Starlink launches on X (formerly Twitter), with the webcast typically starting about five minutes before liftoff. According to SpaceX's standard mission profile, key milestones include main engine cutoff, stage separation, and first-stage landing on a droneship stationed in the Pacific Ocean.

• T-0: Liftoff from SLC-4E at 10:59 UTC
• T+2.5 min: Main engine cutoff and stage separation
• T+8.5 min: First-stage landing on the droneship
• T+~1 hr: Starlink satellite deployment

Track the countdown and the vehicle in real time on the Cosmik rocket launch schedule.

Reusability: the Falcon 9 booster

Falcon 9 Block 5 is the final, most reliable iteration of SpaceX's workhorse rocket, designed for rapid reuse. Individual boosters have flown well over 20 times each, and Starlink missions are the primary driver behind SpaceX's launch cadence, which regularly exceeds 100 orbital flights per year. After stage separation, the booster performs a controlled entry burn and lands on an autonomous droneship for refurbishment and reflight — a routine that has become central to SpaceX's economics.

Why it matters

Every Starlink launch expands global broadband coverage, particularly for rural and remote users beyond the reach of terrestrial networks. With more than 8,000 satellites already in orbit and thousands more planned, the constellation is the largest ever deployed. Missions from both Vandenberg and Florida keep the network's coverage planes fully populated.

For background, see the Falcon 9 and Starlink references on Wikipedia below, and the launch data source that powers our tracker:

• Falcon 9 (Wikipedia)
• Starlink (Wikipedia)
• Vandenberg SFB (Wikipedia)
• The Space Devs Launch Library (data source)

Follow the launch live on Cosmik

Watch Starlink Group 15-24 unfold in 3D and track every satellite in orbit on Cosmik's live solar system map. Browse more upcoming SpaceX launches, catch the latest updates on our launch news feed, and enable free launch alerts so you never miss a liftoff.