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SpaceX Sends Two Batches of Starlink Satellites on Saturday Doubleheader

By Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com Contributor
Updated: June 28, 2025

A camera on a Falcon 9 rocket captures the view from the second launch on Saturday. (Image credit: SpaceX)

SpaceX successfully launched two Starlink missions on Saturday (June 28), sending a total of 53 more internet satellites into orbit from both coasts of the United States.

Two Falcon 9 rockets lifted off just 13 hours apart. The first launch occurred at 12:26 a.m. EDT (0426 GMT) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, followed by a second launch at 1:13 p.m. EDT (1713 GMT) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

Both missions successfully deployed their satellite payloads into low Earth orbit about an hour after liftoff. The launches add to SpaceX's ever-growing Starlink megaconstellation, which now numbers over 7,900 active units, according to satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell.

Reusable Rockets Get the Job Done

In true SpaceX fashion, both Falcon 9 first-stage boosters returned to Earth for successful landings on offshore droneships. The Florida mission booster, B1092, completed its fifth flight and landed on "A Shortfall of Gravitas" in the Atlantic Ocean. The California mission booster, B1088, completed its eighth flight with a touchdown on "Of Course I Still Love You" in the Pacific.

A Falcon 9 first stage stands on the droneship "A Shortfall of Gravitas" after the first of two launches on Saturday. (Image credit: SpaceX)

This rapid launch cadence highlights SpaceX's mastery of rocket reusability, allowing them to maintain an unprecedented schedule of missions throughout the year.