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SpaceX launches final Falcon 9 Starlink mission from Florida
SpaceX marked the end of an era on Florida’s Space Coast on Tuesday, launching its final dedicated Starlink mission aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from the state as the company prepares to shift future East Coast Starlink flights to Starship.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - SpaceX marked the end of an era on Florida’s Space Coast on Tuesday, launching its final dedicated Starlink mission aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from the state as the company prepares to shift future East Coast Starlink flights to Starship.
Tuesday’s mission was the 260th Falcon 9 Starlink launch from Florida over the past seven years. The rocket carried 29 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit.
SpaceX plans to continue launching Starlink missions aboard Falcon 9 rockets from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. In Florida, however, future dedicated Starlink missions are expected to transition to Starship, SpaceX’s much larger next-generation rocket.
What they're saying:
The change represents a significant shift for the Space Coast, where frequent Falcon 9 Starlink missions have become a familiar sight.
Zac Aubert, founder of The Launch Pad Network, said the launches helped drive a resurgence in the region’s space industry.
"What reignited the Space Coast industry was these Starlink launches over the last, what was it, eight years or so," Aubert said.
Falcon 9 has served as SpaceX’s workhorse rocket, regularly carrying batches of Starlink satellites into orbit as the company expanded its satellite internet network.
Starship is designed to carry significantly larger payloads, potentially allowing SpaceX to deploy more Starlink satellites on each mission.
"Once Starship starts flying, you're gonna probably see them a lot more than you ever saw with Falcon 9," Aubert said.
The change does not mean Falcon 9 launches are disappearing from Florida.
Aubert said the rocket will continue flying customer payloads and NASA missions from the Space Coast, while Falcon Heavy will also make occasional appearances.
"You’re really only gonna see Falcon 9 launches and the occasional Falcon Heavy when they have a customer mission or something for NASA," Aubert said. "And that's gonna be a big change from what SpaceX has done for the last six, seven, eight years where a majority of their flights have been Starlink."
What's next:
SpaceX's West Coast operations will continue routine Falcon 9 Starlink launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by SpaceX, and Zac Aubert, founder of The Launch Pad Network.