SpaceX Launches Another Batch of Starlink Satellites from Vandenberg

Evening launch adds more satellites to the growing constellation

On Monday, April 6, 2026, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4‑East at Vandenberg Space Force Base just after sunset, delivering a fresh set of Starlink satellites into low‑Earth orbit. The company’s live‑stream showed the two‑stage, 230‑foot rocket igniting at roughly 7:49 p.m. Pacific time, a window that placed the plume high over Southern California and made the event visible to residents across the region.

Reports differ on the exact payload size—some outlets cite 25 satellites, while others count 27—but all agree the launch continues SpaceX’s aggressive cadence of deployments from California, a state that has seen eight rocket launches in March alone, most of them by the private firm. The chosen southern trajectory places the new satellites in orbits optimized for the forthcoming V2 Mini‑Optimized design, part of the next generation of broadband service.

The launch is the first of April from Vandenberg and underscores SpaceX’s reliance on the West Coast site for sun‑synchronous missions that benefit from the clear evening skies. As the Starlink constellation swells, the company moves closer to its goal of delivering global high‑speed internet, even as regulatory and orbital‑debris concerns remain in the background.