SpaceX Launches 28 Starlink Satellites from California

SpaceX launched 28 Starlink satellites to orbit on December 4, 2025, at 3:42 p.m. EST from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the satellites, lifted off and successfully returned its first stage to the Pacific Ocean, landing on the drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You" eight and a half minutes later.

This particular booster, designated 1097, has flown four times. The upper stage of the Falcon 9 continued to carry the 28 Starlink satellites toward low Earth orbit, where they are expected to be deployed about an hour after liftoff.

With this mission, SpaceX has now launched more than 10,000 Starlink satellites over the past six and a half years and operates a total of over 9,000. This launch marks the 156th Falcon 9 liftoff of 2025, setting a new single-year record for SpaceX, with over 70 percent of these missions being dedicated to Starlink.