SpaceX Starlink Launches Aim for May 2025

SpaceX is pushing forward with its Starlink program, a constellation of over 6,700 satellites designed to provide global internet service. The company is planning two launches in early May 2025. The first, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, is scheduled for May 9, carrying 26 Starlink satellites. This launch follows a previously scrubbed attempt and aims to deploy the satellites into low-Earth orbit. Observers in Southern California, Arizona, and potentially Las Vegas may be able to view the launch, with sonic booms possible in certain areas.

Simultaneously, SpaceX is targeting May 10 for a Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This mission will also deploy Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit. The Space Coast is on track to surpass its launch pace from the previous year, highlighting the increasing frequency of space activities in the region. SpaceX's efforts to increase its launch cadence to 120 per year further emphasize its commitment to expanding its space-based services.

These launches are part of SpaceX's ongoing effort to build out its Starlink network, competing with other companies like Amazon, which is developing its own satellite constellation known as Project Kuiper. The expansion of Starlink aims to improve internet access and reduce latency for users worldwide.

The Falcon 9 rocket uses a reusable first-stage booster that returns to Earth for future missions, reducing costs and improving efficiency. For the Vandenberg launch, the booster will target a landing on the SpaceX drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You" in the Pacific Ocean. This recovery is a key element of SpaceX’s strategy to lower the cost of spaceflight.

The launch window opens at 5 p.m. PT (8 p.m. ET) on Friday, May 9, and lasts until 7:21 p.m. PT.

If conditions are clear, the Vandenberg launch can be viewed from several locations across California and even neighboring Arizona.

Starlink is a constellation of over 6,700 satellites owned by SpaceX, providing internet service to customers around the world.

The launch window lasts from 2:28 a.m. until 6:59 a.m. on Saturday, May 10.

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