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SpaceX launched 27 Starlink internet satellites on August 22, 2026, marking the company's 100th Falcon rocket launch of the year (99 Falcon 9 missions and one Falcon Heavy). The Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, with its first-stage booster successfully landing on a droneship for its ninth flight. This launch expanded the Starlink constellation to over 11,000 operational satellites in low Earth orbit.
Why it matters
This milestone demonstrates SpaceX's unprecedented launch cadence and the rapid expansion of global satellite internet infrastructure. The company plans to eventually deploy 100,000 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites using its Starship megarocket, which would significantly expand global broadband internet access.
SpaceX launched another batch of its Starlink internet satellites this morning (Aug. 22) on a milestone mission for the company’s Falcon rocket family.
A Falcon 9 carrying 27 Starlink spacecraft lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California today at 3:25 a.m. EDT (0725 GMT; 12:25 a.m. local California time).
It was the 99th Falcon 9 liftoff of the year, and the 100th Falcon mission of 2026 overall. The other flight was performed by a Falcon Heavy, which lofted the telecom satellite Viasat-3 F3 in April.
Hitting the century mark at this point in the year is impressive. But SpaceX has a ways to go to equal its single-year Falcon launch record of 165, which was set in 2025. All of those were Falcon 9 missions.
The Falcon 9’s first stage came back to Earth today as planned. It touched down about 8.5 minutes after launch in the Pacific Ocean, atop the SpaceX droneship “Of Course I Still Love You.” It was the ninth flight for this particular booster, which carries the designation B1100.
The 27 Starlink satellites, meanwhile, kept traveling to low Earth orbit aboard the Falcon 9’s upper stage, deploying on schedule just under 62 minutes after launch.
Today’s launch makes the largest-ever satellite constellation even bigger: Starlink already consists of more than 11,000 operational spacecraft.
NROL-105 | 7 Starlink missions
As you might expect, Starlink satellites are SpaceX’s most common payload; 76 of this year’s 99 Falcon 9 flights have been dedicated Starlink missions.
And the number of SpaceX satellites is expected to rise considerably in the coming years. The company has said it wants to launch 100,000 of its next-gen Starlink V3 satellites and operate a constellation of one million data centers in Earth orbit. These spacecraft will fly atop SpaceX’s Starship megarocket, which remains in development.
Source: SpaceX sends 27 Starlink satellites to orbit on 100th Falcon rocket launch of the year (photos)