Florida, Jan. 4, SpaceX began 2026 by launching the first batch of Starlink satellites of the year aboard a new Falcon 9 rocket early Saturday marking another milestone in its expanding broadband network.
The mission lifted off at 1:48 a.m. EST from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station carrying 29 Starlink Group 6-88 satellites into low Earth orbit. The satellites reached orbit about nine minutes after liftoff and were deployed roughly an hour later, with SpaceX confirming successful separation on X. The rocket’s first-stage booster, designated 1101, completed its maiden flight and landed safely on the drone ship. This is the 595th overall since 2008, and the company’s 555th successful booster landing since 2015.
Starlink now operates nearly 9,500 active satellites. The service recently began offering free broadband access in Venezuela through Feb. 3, aiming to provide connectivity in underserved regions following a U.S. raid.
