SpaceX has set a new record in the aerospace industry with the 18th launch of its Falcon 9 booster. The mission, named Starlink 6-26, took off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, marking the 60th orbital launch from the station and Kennedy Space Center in a single year. The Falcon 9 booster, identified as B1058, is the oldest currently flying Falcon 9 booster, having first flown on May 30, 2020. It has previously launched a number of significant missions, including Crew Demo-2, ANASIS-11, CRS-21, Transporter-1, Transporter-3, and 13 Starlink missions.
The recent mission added 23 more Starlink satellites to SpaceX's growing constellation in low-Earth orbit. Since 2019, a total of 5,376 Starlink satellites have been launched into low-Earth orbit, with 4,982 remaining functional. The Starlink project is part of SpaceX's plan to create a global constellation for broadband internet coverage.
Following stage separation, the Falcon 9 booster landed on SpaceX's drone ship, marking the 18th mission completed by the booster. SpaceX is also preparing for another mission at Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, which has been delayed due to an issue with one of the Draco thrusters on the Cargo Dragon. Additionally, the company revealed that the second test flight of the integrated Starship/Super Heavy stack could launch as soon as mid-November, pending regulatory approval.
The launch was broadcasted live and could be viewed via a livestream on SpaceX's official website or YouTube channel.