SpaceX launched Starlink 15-18 from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Oct. 30, 2026, marking the 700th flight of a Falcon 9 rocket. The mission deployed 27 broadband internet satellites to low Earth orbit. Liftoff occurred at 9:04 p.m. PDT from Space Launch Complex 4 East.
The Falcon 9 first stage booster, tail number B1093, completed its 18th flight. The booster landed on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean about 8.5 minutes after liftoff. This was the 231st landing on that vessel and the 675th Falcon booster landing overall.
The October 30 launch was SpaceX's 11th and final orbital flight in the month. SpaceX's launch cadence has declined as the company shifts focus to Starship development. The Starlink 15-16 mission on Oct. 27 marked the first time since July 2025 that SpaceX's rolling 365-day launch rate dropped below 150 missions.
NASA and others have publicly acknowledged that SpaceX plans to end offering the Falcon 9 for commercial and government missions in the coming years. In August, SpaceX stopped flying Starlink missions from Florida using Falcon 9 rockets, though some government missions have continued from that state.
SpaceX founder Elon Musk stated the company expects Starship to fly weekly beginning in the first half of 2027, and twice weekly or more frequently by year's end. SpaceX plans to attempt a catch of the Starship upper stage during Starship Flight 15, anticipated to launch in mid-November from Starbase, Texas.