On a foggy Sunday at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, SpaceX sent 26 Starlink satellites into low‐Earth orbit. Watching the Falcon 9 carve its way through the thick mist was like seeing a trusted colleague at work under challenging conditions – sure, the fog was dense, but the mission was executed with precision.
The launch was streamed live on Elon Musk’s X platform, allowing viewers to witness the rocket’s ascent and catch a glimpse of the action as local residents in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties were advised to expect a few sonic booms. This wasn’t just another mission; it was another demonstration of the company’s growing expertise in challenging environments.
After the satellites were successfully deployed, the Falcon 9’s first stage made a precise landing on the drone ship ‘Of Course I Still Love You’ out in the Pacific. Notably, this booster has already proven its reliability on six prior missions – including launches like NROL-126, Transporter-12, SPHEREx, NROL-57, and two earlier Starlink operations – reaffirming SpaceX’s commitment to reusability and mission success.
