SUMMARY
- SpaceX completed its 600th Falcon 9 launch with the Starlink 17-13 mission
- The rocket carried twenty four Starlink V2 Mini satellites into low Earth orbit
- The milestone highlights Falcon 9’s growing role in global broadband and NASA missions
SpaceX launched its 600th Falcon 9 rocket Saturday evening from Vandenberg Space Force Base, marking a major milestone hours after a Crew Dragon spacecraft arrived at the International Space Station with four crew members.
The Starlink 17-13 mission lifted off at 5:59:59 p.m. PST from Space Launch Complex four East, sending satellites into low Earth orbit on a southerly trajectory. The flight underscores Falcon 9’s central role in commercial spaceflight and government missions.
The Falcon 9 first stage booster, tail number B1081, flew for the twenty second time after supporting four NASA missions, including Crew-7 and CRS-29.
More than eight minutes after liftoff, the booster targeted a landing on the drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You” in the Pacific Ocean. If confirmed, it would mark the 571st booster landing for SpaceX.
Earlier Saturday, the Crew Dragon Freedom docked at the ISS roughly thirty four hours after launching from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Todd Harrison, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, said Falcon 9’s reusability “has fundamentally altered launch economics.”
Clay Mowry, president of the International Astronautical Federation, said the 600 launch mark reflects “industrial-scale space operations.”
SpaceX continues expanding its Starlink broadband constellation while supporting NASA crew rotation missions, signaling sustained launch cadence through 2026.
The 600th Falcon 9 launch highlights the rocket’s operational maturity and its expanding influence in commercial and government spaceflight.
NOTE! This article was generated with the support of AI and compiled by professionals from multiple reliable sources, including official statements, press releases, and verified media coverage. For more information, please see our T&C.
