SpaceX completed another clean Starlink mission on June 21, lifting 24 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites into orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California — and bringing the Falcon 9 first stage home for a record-extending landing.
Booster B1063 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at 9:39 a.m. PDT, carrying the Starlink Group 17-28 mission. It marked the 33rd flight for this particular booster — one of the most-flown first stages in the Falcon 9 fleet.
Roughly ten minutes after launch, B1063 touched down on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship in the Pacific Ocean — a pinpoint landing that earns the booster its new designation: B1063-34. The recovery extends an already impressive track record for a booster that has now flown more than three dozen times.
The cadence of Starlink launches continues to underline how routine rapid reusability has become for SpaceX. A booster completing its 34th flight — and landing cleanly each time — would have seemed extraordinary just a few years ago. Today it's a Tuesday morning in California. For more on SpaceX's launch program, see our SpaceX coverage.
Sarah focuses on Tesla Energy, SpaceX missions, and the broader Musk AI portfolio. Former data analyst in clean energy. Based in San Francisco.
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