SpaceX Launches First Mission Of 2026 With Starlink Satellites

In the velvety blackness of a Space Coast night, a burst of fiery energy illuminated the horizon as SpaceX launched its first mission of the year. The Falcon 9 rocket, carrying 29 Starlink satellites on the Starlink 6-88 mission, soared into the sky at 1:48 a. m. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40. This inaugural launch of 2026 marked the beginning of what could be a frenetic pace of spaceflights, with potentially four launches scheduled within the next 10 days, all courtesy of SpaceX. The first-stage booster, making its maiden flight, performed a flawless recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions, stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. This precision maneuver underscored SpaceX’s relentless pursuit of reusability and efficiency in space exploration.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, this launch was a significant milestone, setting the tone for a busy year of spaceflights. In 2025, SpaceX demonstrated its impressive launch capabilities, flying 165 Falcon 9 missions from its Florida and California launch sites, with 101 of those launches taking place at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral combined.