Replace July 19, 12:19 a.m. EDT: SpaceX adjusted the launch time.
SpaceX launched for a uncommon launch of its Starlink Model 2 Mini satellites right into a polar orbit shortly after sundown on Friday evening.
The mission, dubbed Starlink 17-3, provides one other 24 satellites into the corporate’s megaconstellation consisting of greater than 7,900 satellites on orbit, in keeping with statistics compiled by skilled orbital tracker and astronomer, Jonathan McDowell.
The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Area Launch Complicated 4 East at Vandenberg Area Drive Base in California at 8:52 p.m. PDT (11:52 p.m. EDT / 0352 UTC).
The Falcon 9 first stage booster getting used on this mission, tail quantity B1082, launched for a 14th time. Its earlier missions embrace NROL-145, USSF-62 and OneWeb #20.
A bit of greater than eight minutes after liftoff, B1082 landed on the droneship, ‘Of Course I Nonetheless Love You.’ This marked the 141st booster touchdown on this vessel and the 477th booster touchdown to this point.
In an replace posted to its Starlink web site on Monday, July 14, SpaceX stated a part of its plan to additional scale up its Starlink community, it deliberate to deploy a whole lot of satellites right into a polar orbit to enhance connectivity in polar areas, like Alaska.
“We plan to launch greater than 400 further satellites to the polar inclination by the top of 2025 alone, which can greater than double the capability for Alaskan clients alone, in addition to different excessive latitude places,” SpaceX wrote. “The primary of those further satellites have begun to serve Alaskan customers already, almost doubling median peak-hour obtain speeds over the previous month.”
The reference to the primary of those satellites is related to the corporate’s launch of the Starlink 17-1 mission on Might 27. That mission, which additionally occurred to make use of B1082, additionally launched 24 Starlink V2 Mini satellites right into a polar orbit at a 97 diploma inclination.
SpaceX’s nod to launching greater than 400 satellites to this orbit earlier than the top of the 12 months counsel this would be the majority of its focus for its West Coast launches. The aim would want greater than 16 launches of at the very least 24 satellites apiece.
Following the Friday evening flight, SpaceX will flip its consideration to a rideshare mission for NASA, which is highlighted by the company’s TRACERS (Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites) payload.
Launching quickly: A brand new mission to review magnetic explosions in area!
NASA’s TRACERS, a pair of washing machine-sized satellites, will orbit Earth to seize the explosive moments when the Solar’s magnetic discipline collides and fuses with Earth’s. ☀️🧲🌎
Extra:… pic.twitter.com/O5WeODCRR5
— NASA Photo voltaic System (@NASASolarSystem) July 16, 2025
