- On July 5, 2026, a SpaceX Falcon 9 launched the Starlink 10-50 mission with 29 Starlink satellites from SLC-40 at 6:50 a.m. The booster made its 13th flight and landed on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas.
- The 45th Weather Squadron predicted 85% 'go for launch' weather, though a wind advisory was issued for Cape Canaveral.
- Brevard County Emergency Management activated and later deactivated its launch support team for the mission.
- Playalinda District remained closed until launch, and National Park areas were fee-free on July 3rd–5th.
- This was the 45th orbital launch of 2026 from Florida's Space Coast.
- 2025 was a record year with 109 launches, and 2026 is expected to see a similar number with contributions from SpaceX, ULA, Blue Origin, and NASA's Artemis II.
- As of the update, 2026 has seen 45 orbital launches from the Space Coast, including 38 from SpaceX, 5 from ULA, 1 from Blue Origin, and 1 from NASA.
- On July 9, 2026, a SpaceX Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch the Starlink 10-42 mission with a booster flying for a record 36th time.
- No earlier than Aug. 30, 2026, a SpaceX Falcon Heavy will launch NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope from KSC's Pad 39-A, eight months ahead of its original target.
- Several lunar missions are planned for late 2026: SpaceX Falcon Heavy with Astrobotic’s Griffin lander, a SpaceX Falcon 9 with Intuitive Machines IM-3 Nova-C lander, and a Firefly Aerospace Blue Ghost lander.
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launched 29 Starlink satellites on July 4, 2026, at 6:50 a.m. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This mission marked the 13th flight of the Falcon 9 first-stage booster, which successfully landed on the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean.12101112
In addition to the Starlink satellites, the mission included two pilot manufacturing pods from semiconductor company Besxar. These pods, known as Fabships, are part of a 12-mission launch agreement with SpaceX aimed at developing in-space production capabilities. Besxar's goal is to build the world’s first orbital semiconductor foundry.
The Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron had predicted an 85% chance of favorable weather for the launch, although a wind advisory was issued shortly before liftoff. Brevard County Emergency Management activated its launch operations support team ahead of the event, which was later deactivated following the successful launch.3456
This launch is part of a busy schedule for SpaceX, which has already completed 45 orbital launches in 2026, with expectations for a similar number as the year progresses. The Space Coast ended 2025 with a record 109 launches from various companies, including SpaceX, United Launch Alliance, and Blue Origin.
“The Falcon 9's first-stage booster completed its 13th mission by landing on the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas. The mission also carried two Besxar Fabships as part of a 12-mission agreement to develop orbital semiconductor manufacturing, and the 45th Weather Squadron had forecast 85% 'go for launch' weather despite a wind advisory.”
Orlando Sentinel
