Falcon 9 lifts off from Vandenberg
SpaceX resumed Falcon 9 operations with a Starlink satellite mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The launch took place on Feb. 7, 2025, using a Falcon 9 rocket tasked with deploying 25 Starlink satellites.
The flight was significant for the company because it marked Falcon 9’s return to service after a previously reported problem connected to the rocket’s upper stage. The upper stage is the part of the launch vehicle responsible for carrying payloads from initial ascent into the correct orbit for deployment.
Starlink payload: 25 satellites
The mission’s primary objective was to add 25 satellites to SpaceX’s Starlink network. Starlink is a large constellation designed to provide satellite-based internet connectivity.
SpaceX has routinely used Falcon 9 for Starlink deployments, and the Vandenberg launch site is commonly used for missions that require orbital paths suited to reaching particular inclinations.
Return to flight after upper stage issue
According to the source information, the Feb. 7, 2025 mission returned the Falcon 9 system to flight following an issue involving the rocket’s upper stage. No further technical details about the earlier incident were provided in the source material.
Such return-to-flight missions are closely watched in the space industry because they indicate that launch operations have resumed after the company addressed a problem that had affected the vehicle’s readiness.
Launch site and timeline
The launch originated from Vandenberg Space Force Base, a key US facility for space missions from the West Coast. The event was reported by Space and is listed with a publication timestamp of Feb. 8, 2026.
The report identified the mission as a Starlink satellite launch and highlighted its role in bringing Falcon 9 back into active flight operations after the earlier upper stage issue.