Rocket Launch Today: SpaceX Gears Up for Another Starlink Falcon 9 Mission
If you are tracking the skies for a rocket launch today, look no further. SpaceX is continuing its aggressive deployment schedule, preparing to kick off the second half of 2026 with a high-stakes Falcon 9 mission from the Vandenberg Space Force Base.
The Starlink 17-46 Mission: Expanding Global Connectivity
Wednesday night marks the launch of the Starlink 17-46 mission. This operation aims to deploy an additional 24 broadband internet satellites into low Earth orbit. This adds to a massive constellation that already exceeds 10,700 satellites, reflecting SpaceX’s relentless push to provide global internet access.
To put this in perspective, SpaceX has already successfully launched nearly 1,600 satellites during the first half of 2026 alone.
Liftoff Schedule and Trajectory
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- Launch Site: Space Launch Complex 4 East (Vandenberg SFB)
- Scheduled Time: 7:57 p.m. PDT (10:57 p.m. EDT / 0257 UTC)
- Flight Path: The rocket will follow a south-southwesterly trajectory upon departure.
For those wanting to catch the action, Spaceflight Now typically provides live coverage starting 30 minutes before the countdown hits zero.
The Engineering Marvel: Booster B1100
The mission will utilize the Falcon 9 first-stage booster B1100. This isn’t its first rodeo; this will be the booster’s seventh flight, having previously supported the NROL-105 mission and five other Starlink batches.
One of the most exhilarating parts of any SpaceX launch is the return. Approximately eight minutes after liftoff, B1100 is slated to attempt a precision landing on the drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You,” stationed in the Pacific Ocean. If successful, this will mark the 207th landing for this specific vessel and the 632nd booster landing for the company.
More from the SpaceX Frontier
While the Starlink mission takes center stage, SpaceX has several other developments in the pipeline:
- The Secret Zuma Payload: Another Falcon 9 is being prepared at Cape Canaveral. Due to the sensitive nature of the U.S. government’s “Zuma” payload, most of the ascent will be under a strict news blackout.
- Starship Setbacks: It hasn’t been all smooth sailing. A full-size Starship prototype recently suffered a violent explosion in South Texas following a Raptor engine test, presenting a challenge for the next-generation reusable rocket program.
- Human Spaceflight: In inspiring news, veteran NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson—the American with the most time in space—recently returned to orbit for her fourth mission. She flew alongside a private investor and the first two Saudi Arabian astronauts bound for the International Space Station (ISS).
Whether it is the routine deployment of satellites or the daring tests of Starship, SpaceX continues to redefine our reach into the cosmos.
