SpaceX Launches 29 Starlink Satellites on Falcon 9 Booster B1069's Record 30th Flight

February 27, 2026 • SpaceX

SpaceX pushed another 29 Starlink satellites into orbit this morning from a fog-drenched Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral, Florida — and the real story isn't just the payload. Falcon 9 booster B1069 completed its 30th consecutive flight and landing, a reusability milestone that would have seemed like science fiction just a decade ago.

📊 Key Figures

The Fog Couldn't Stop It

Thick fog blanketed SLC-40 at liftoff time, obscuring the base of the rocket from ground cameras. That didn't slow SpaceX down. The Falcon 9 punched through the cloud layer and continued its climb to orbit as planned. NASASpaceflight's coverage captured the surreal sight of a rocket disappearing into white murk moments after ignition.

▶ Watch Launch Video on X

Independent spotter Joe Tegtmeyer also had eyes on the pad this morning, catching the launch from his vantage point at the Cape.

Booster Touchdown — Clear Skies on the Droneship

While SLC-40 was socked in, the droneship landing zone told a very different story. B1069 descended through clear air and stuck its landing cleanly — its 30th consecutive successful return. NASASpaceflight's camera caught every detail of the touchdown.

▶ Watch Booster Landing on X

🔭 The BASENOR Take

📰 Deep Dive

Thirty flights on a single Falcon 9 booster is not a number SpaceX throws around casually — it represents the culmination of years of iterative improvement to landing legs, engine refurbishment cycles, and thermal protection systems. Every flight that B1069 completes without replacement is a direct reduction in launch cost, and lower launch costs are what fund the relentless pace of Starlink constellation growth.

For the Starlink network itself, Group 6-108 continues filling out the shell of satellites that underpins global broadband coverage. More satellites in this orbital shell mean greater capacity, lower latency for existing subscribers, and headroom for Tesla's Starlink-powered in-car connectivity to scale. The connection between SpaceX launch cadence and the long-term Tesla ownership experience is tighter than it might first appear.

What's also worth noting is operational confidence in all-weather launches. SpaceX pressed forward through significant fog at SLC-40 — conditions that would ground many programs — demonstrating a maturity in launch operations that keeps their annual launch count on a steep upward trajectory. The booster landed in clear conditions downrange, making for textbook recovery footage and a vehicle that will almost certainly be back on the pad within weeks. For our full SpaceX coverage, visit SpaceX coverage.