SpaceX is launching 24 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California tonight, continuing the company’s aggressive expansion of its satellite internet constellation. Liftoff is scheduled for 9:01 p.m. PDT (12:01 a.m. EDT), with a launch window opening at 7 p.m. Pacific, according to Spaceflight Now. The Falcon 9 rocket will lift off from Space Launch Complex 4E, with the satellites set to deploy into low Earth orbit.
The mission adds to SpaceX’s remarkable launch cadence in 2026. As of late July, there were 10,876 Starlink satellites already in orbit, with 10,860 working as planned, according to space.com. The constellation now represents the dominant share of all active satellites circling Earth—by June 2026, nearly two-thirds of the approximately 15,711 active satellites in orbit belonged to Starlink, according to Space Daily.
SpaceX has been executing launches at a record pace this year. Just three days ago, on August 15, the company set a new spaceflight record by launching two Falcon 9 rockets from opposite U.S. coasts within 38 minutes of each other—one carrying Globalstar satellites from Florida and another carrying a U.S. Space Force payload from California. That feat demonstrated the company’s operational efficiency across its launch infrastructure.
Starlink operates as a low Earth orbit constellation designed to deliver high-speed, low-latency broadband internet globally. The network is currently deploying over 5 terabits per second of capacity per week using its second-generation satellites, according to Starlink’s official network update. SpaceX has plans to eventually expand the constellation to include tens of thousands of satellites to provide global coverage.
Tonight’s launch is part of SpaceX’s larger strategy to maintain and upgrade the Starlink network. In 2026, SpaceX has already flown 59 Falcon 9 missions dedicated to Starlink, deploying 1,565 satellites into orbit by mid-August, according to space enthusiast reports. The company is also planning to lower the orbits of approximately 4,400 existing Starlink satellites from roughly 550 kilometers to 480 kilometers during 2026, aiming to improve space safety and reduce collision risk in the crowded low Earth orbit environment.
The August 18 launch continues SpaceX’s record-setting pace of rapid launches, which has reshaped the commercial spaceflight industry. With the company targeting nearly 100 Falcon 9 missions in 2026, tonight’s Starlink deployment underscores how routine—yet historically unprecedented—such launches have become.
Sources
- Spaceflight Now — launch time (9:01 p.m. PDT), location (Vandenberg Space Force Base, SLC-4E), and mission details
- Space.com — current Starlink satellite count (10,876 in orbit as of July 30, 2026) and operational status (10,860 working)
- Space Daily — Starlink constellation share of active satellites (two-thirds of 15,711 as of June 2026)
- Interesting Engineering — August 15 dual launch record (38 minutes apart)
- Starlink Network Update — constellation capacity deployment rate (5+ Tbps per week)
- Space enthusiast reports — 2026 Starlink mission count (59 missions, 1,565 satellites deployed by mid-August)
