SpaceX Completes Dual Falcon 9 Launches, Reaching 600th Mission Milestone

SpaceX executed two separate Falcon 9 rocket launches over a single weekend in February 2026, significantly advancing the deployment of its Starlink satellite constellation. This high-cadence operational tempo, powered by the reusable Falcon 9 vehicle, underscores the company's maturity in space logistics as commercial competitors, including Amazon's Project Kuiper, accelerate their own constellation build-outs.

The initial mission launched on Saturday, February 14, 2026, from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Designated Starlink 17-13, this flight deployed 24 Starlink units and marked the 600th overall flight of the Falcon 9 rocket since its debut in 2010. The first stage booster, B1081, successfully completed its 22nd mission reuse, landing on the autonomous spaceport droneship Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) operating in the Pacific Ocean.

The second deployment followed in the early hours of Monday, February 16, 2026, from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This mission, Starlink 6-103, placed 29 Starlink units into orbit, bringing the total satellite addition for the weekend to 53. This launch represented the 14th Starlink flight conducted by SpaceX in 2026, contributing to the company's aggressive annual launch schedule. The booster for this mission, B1090, achieved its 10th reuse, landing safely on the East Coast recovery vessel, A Shortfall of Gravitas (ASOG).

This continuous hardware influx supports the expansion of the Starlink megaconstellation, which comprised over 9,600 active units in Low Earth Orbit as of February 2026. The network currently supports global broadband internet access, with SpaceX reporting over 10 million global subscribers in February 2026, while also expanding utility into emerging cell-to-satellite communication services. The successful recovery of both boosters on opposite coasts validates the maturity of SpaceX's recovery program, which is critical for maintaining the Falcon 9's role as the backbone of the company's current revenue streams.