SpaceX sends 24 Starlink satellites to orbit on 1st launch as a public company (video)

SpaceX sent 24 Starlink satellites to orbit on Monday (June 15) — a number that nearly matched the percentage-point jump the company's stock has taken on its first day of trading after going public on Friday (June 12). A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California today at 11:34 a.m. EDT (1534 GMT; 8:34 a.m. PDT local time). SpaceX , which now trades under the ticker symbol SPCX on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, confirmed a successful satellite deployment about an hour after the launch. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 24 Starlink satellites launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Monday, June 15, 2026. (Image credit: SpaceX) About 8.5 minutes after liftoff, the Falcon 9's first stage (Booster B1093) landed on the autonomous drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You" positioned in the Pacific Ocean. It was the 14th flight for the booster. The satellites (known as Group 17-54 ) raised the Starlink megaconstellation to 10,660 active units, according to tracker Jonathan McDowell . The network provides broadband internet access around the world, powers some airlines' inflight wifi and enables direct cell-to-satellite access for select providers. SpaceX's Group 17-54 Starlink satellites are seen in orbit on June 15, 2026, before deploying from the upper stage of their Falcon 9 rocket. …