SpaceX launched 26 Starlink satellites from California on Monday evening (June 16). A relatively new Falcon 9 rocket, making only its third flight, lifted off at 8:36 p.m. PDT local (11:36 p.m. EDT or 0336 GMT June 17) from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base.

The SpaceX rocket lifted off at 8:36 p.m. from its launchpad at the California base and reached low Earth orbit about 8½ minutes later.

This year's launch cadence is outpacing last year's by 3½ weeks on Florida's Space Coast: The 50th orbital launch of 2024 did not occur until July 8.

Leaks aboard the International Space Station, as well as on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, delayed Axiom's next private astronaut mission, but the crew now has a target launch date of June 19.

United Launch Alliance scrubbed Monday an attempt for what would have been its second launch of the year, another mission for Amazon’s effort to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink internet

A bright light flying across the night sky Monday caught the eyes of many San Diegans. SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 rocket around 8:30 p.m. from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County. The rocket launch could be seen from all across San Diego County,

SpaceX has now launched 73 Falcon 9 missions in 2025, of which 55 have been in support of the Starlink service. Friday's mission followed a Starlink launch on Thursday evening from California, which marked the 500th overall Falcon flight.

See the view of the flight 8 Starship launch from a camera on the launch mount. The SpaceX Mega Rocket launched from Starbase, Texas. Credit: SpaceX | edited by Space.com