Falcon 9 Starlink Group 17-45 Launch Recap — 25 June 2026

What happened?

SpaceX successfully launched the Starlink Group 17-45 mission on a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, on 25 June 2026 at 03:30:38 UTC. The mission delivered another batch of Starlink internet satellites to low Earth orbit, and SpaceX confirmed the flight reached its target orbit successfully.

Starlink is SpaceX's satellite broadband constellation, which delivers high-speed, low-latency internet from low Earth orbit and now numbers well over 8,000 operational satellites — the largest satellite constellation ever built.

Did the launch succeed?

Yes. According to SpaceX, the mission was a success. The Falcon 9 lifted off on schedule at 03:30 UTC, the second stage completed its burns, and the Starlink satellites were deployed into low Earth orbit. West Coast Starlink launches from Vandenberg typically target orbital shells inclined around 53–70 degrees to fill in polar and mid-latitude coverage.

What is the Falcon 9 Block 5?

The Falcon 9 is a two-stage, partially reusable orbital rocket built and operated by SpaceX. The Block 5 is the final, most flight-proven variant, designed for rapid reuse of its first stage. Key facts:

Each Falcon 9 stands roughly 70 meters tall and generates about 7,600 kN of thrust at liftoff from its nine Merlin 1D engines. After stage separation, the booster performs a controlled descent and landing — for Vandenberg missions, typically on the autonomous droneship stationed in the Pacific.

What was the payload?

The payload was a stack of Starlink v2 Mini satellites. These spacecraft carry more bandwidth per unit than the original v1 design and are equipped with laser inter-satellite links to relay data across the network without ground stations. Once deployed, each satellite raises itself to its operational altitude — Starlink's operational shells sit between roughly 340 and 570 km — using onboard ion thrusters.

Group 17 designates one of the orbital shells the constellation is filling from the West Coast. You can watch newly deployed satellites travel in their characteristic close formation on our Starlink train tracker in the days after launch.

Why launch from Vandenberg?

Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base supports launches into polar and high-inclination orbits, thanks to its unobstructed southern trajectory over the Pacific Ocean. SpaceX has flown Falcon 9 missions from this pad since 2013, and it now serves as the primary West Coast hub for Starlink polar-shell deployments. Learn more about the site on Wikipedia.

How to track the satellites

You can follow the newly deployed Starlink Group 17-45 satellites as they spread out and climb to their operational altitude. Cosmik's live 3D map shows every tracked satellite in orbit in real time, updated continuously.

• See the full Starlink constellation in 3D
• Spot the freshly launched cluster on the Starlink train visibility tool
• Read our guide on how to track satellites from your location

What's next for SpaceX?

SpaceX maintains one of the highest launch cadences in the industry, flying Falcon 9 missions from both coasts, often multiple times per week, with the majority dedicated to expanding the Starlink network. Check the upcoming rocket launch schedule and browse all SpaceX missions for the next flight, or catch up on the latest launch news. Launch data is sourced from The Space Devs Launch Library.

Follow it live on Cosmik

Track Starlink Group 17-45 and every other satellite in orbit on Cosmik's free real-time 3D map, and enable free launch alerts so you never miss the next Falcon 9 liftoff. Open the live map to get started.