Replace 9:08 p.m. EST (0208 UTC): SpaceX landed the booster on the droneship.
SpaceX launched the primary of two deliberate Starlink flights over the weekend. Up first was the launch of the Starlink 15-1 mission on Saturday, which carried with it 22 Starlink V2 Mini satellites.
Liftoff from Area Launch Advanced 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Area Drive Base occurred at 5:38 p.m. PST (8:38 p.m. EST, 0138 UTC).
SpaceX used the Falcon 9 first stage booster with the tail quantity B1082 on this mission, which launched for an eleventh time. It beforehand launched USSF-62, OneWeb Launch 20 and eight batches of Starlink satellites.
A little bit greater than eight minutes after liftoff, B1082 landed on the SpaceX droneship, ‘Of Course I Nonetheless Love You,’ marking the 121st booster touchdown for OCISLY and the 412th booster touchdown to this point.
With the launch of the Starlink 15-1 mission, SpaceX despatched greater than 8,000 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit, based on stats from astronomer and knowledgeable orbital tracker, Jonathan McDowell. This mission introduced the corporate to 376 Starlink satellites launched in 2025 alone.
McDowell’s database states that as of Feb. 21, there have been 7,078 Starlink satellites remaining on orbit.
The flight despatched its 22 Starlink satellites to an inclination of 70 levels. The primary time SpaceX launched a batch of operational Starlink satellites to this inclination was on Sept. 13, 2021, with the launch of the Starlink 2-1 mission.
There have been a complete of eight missions launched as a part of Starlink Group 2 with the final being Starlink 2-10 on Could 31, 2023.
Individually, all the missions launched for the Nationwide Reconnaissance Workplace (NRO) to assist its proliferated structure have gone to an inclination of 70 levels as nicely. These satellites are believed to be Starshield, that are the federal government model of Starlink developed by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman.
The NROL-126 mission, which launched on Nov. 30, 2024, was distinct because it additionally included 20 Starlink satellites.
SpaceX hasn’t stated if there could be any Starshield satellites on this flight or if they might be replenishing satellites which were deorbited. As of Feb. 21, McDowell database reveals that that of the 408 Starlink V1.5 satellites launched as a part of Group 2, 12 are now not on orbit.
