Nasa Spacex Rocket Launch: Falcon 9 Delivers 29 Starlink Satellites

The nasa spacex rocket launch lifted 29 Starlink satellites from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, with the Falcon 9 first stage returning to a droneship positioned off the coast of The Bahamas. The flight and successful offshore landing matter now because they mark only the second booster recovery that far south and followed a high-confidence weather forecast that cleared the way for the nighttime window.

Nasa Spacex Rocket Launch Update

Liftoff occurred at 8: 41 p. m. ET, with a precise telemetry readout showing 8: 41: 40 p. m. ET for engine ignition and ascent. The mission carried a complement of 29 Starlink internet satellites into low-Earth orbit. The first-stage booster completed its descent and touched down on a droneship in the Atlantic less than 8. 5 minutes after liftoff, with landing operations noted at about 8: 49 p. m. ET. The nasa spacex rocket launch followed a southeast trajectory along the Florida coast toward the Bahamas, the planned recovery location for the booster.

Booster landing near The Bahamas

The booster recovered during this mission was on its 26th flight. The offshore touchdown occurred on the droneship that handles maritime recoveries in that region. This mission represents just the second time a Falcon 9 first stage has been recovered that far south, underscoring the program's expanding operational envelope for maritime landings. The landing count on that specific droneship and the cumulative booster-landing totals were recorded as milestones for the recovery fleet.

Weather, schedule and concurrent activity

Pre-launch forecasts from the 45th Weather Squadron indicated a greater than 95% chance of favorable conditions for the attempted night launch. The flight had been shifted from an earlier date; no formal reason for the postponement was offered in pre-launch notices. Teams at the complex were also conducting a wet dress rehearsal on a separate crew-capable heavy rocket, fueling that vehicle up to T-minus 33 seconds as part of preparations for its next milestones. That dress rehearsal will influence the timing of the crew-capable rocket's next launch date if its results are satisfactory.

• Launch: liftoff at 8: 41 p. m. ET (precise readout 8: 41: 40 p. m. ET).
• Payload: 29 Starlink satellites placed into low-Earth orbit.
• Recovery: first-stage booster landed on a droneship off The Bahamas about 8: 49 p. m. ET.

What happens next: operators will process booster recovery data and telemetry from the payload deployment; if the wet dress rehearsal yields the expected outcomes, planners will set an updated launch date for the crew-capable rocket. Observers should watch for formal scheduling updates tied to the rehearsal results and for any notices about additional maritime recovery operations in the Caribbean corridor.