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A camera mounted to the first stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket captures the view looking back towards Earth during a late night launch of Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Aug. 14, 2025. | Credit: SpaceX
SpaceX continued the growth of its broadband internet service with the launch of 24 more Starlink satellites from California on Thursday (Aug. 14).
A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 1:05 a.m. EDT (0505 GMT or 10:05 p.m. PDT on Aug. 13 local) from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base. About nine minutes later, after a nominal ascent, the Starlink Group 17-4 mission reached space.
The Falcon 9's upper stage, powered by single Merlin engine, was on track to reach its planned orbit and deploy the satellites about an hour after it left Earth.
The first stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stands vertically atop a droneship in the Pacific Ocean on Aug. 14, 2025. | Credit: SpaceX
Previous B1093 missions:
Starlink 11-11 | Starlink 15-5 | Starlink 15-9 | Starlink 15-2
Also to plan, the Falcon's first stage (Booster 1093) completed its fifth flight, landing on the drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You" in the Pacific Ocean. All of the booster's missions have been dedicated to growing SpaceX's megaconstellation.
With this launch, there are now more than 8,100 active Starlink satellites out of the nearly 9,400 launched since 2018, according to tracker Jonathan McDowell.
Thursday morning's launch from California was SpaceX's 98th Falcon 9 mission in 2025 and 516th flight since 2010. It was the 452nd reuse of a Falcon 9 first stage and 487th landing.
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