SpaceX kicked off March with a blistering operational cadence, executing a successful doubleheader weekend with two Falcon 9 launches from opposite sides of the country on Sunday, March 1st.
Both missions were entirely dedicated to expanding the Starlink megaconstellation and successfully deployed a total of 54 new satellites into low Earth orbit.
West Coast Liftoff
The doubleheader began on the West Coast early Sunday morning. At exactly 2:10 a.m. PT, a Falcon 9 rocket roared to life from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Tucked inside the payload fairing were not standard commercial satellites, but instead 25 Starlink satellites destined to join the constellation.
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 1, 2026
The mission, officially designated as Starlink 17-23, also served as a major milestone for the specific booster hardware being utilized. The first-stage booster supporting this flight completed its 20th successful mission, having previously launched several high-profile payloads, including USSF-62, OneWeb Launch 20, NROL-145, and 16 other Starlink missions.
Following stage separation, the booster executed a flawless return sequence, landing on the drone ship Of Course I Still Love You, which was stationed out in the Pacific Ocean (15:45 mark in the video). The 25 Starlink satellites were successfully deployed a little over an hour after liftoff.
East Coast Follow-Up
Just a few hours later, SpaceX mission control shifted its focus to the East Coast for the second half of this doubleheader. A second Falcon 9 rocket launched from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The first-stage booster for this mission was flying for the 26th time. Its impressive resume included launching Crew-6, SES O3b mPOWER-B, USSF-124, Bluebird 1-5, Nusantara Lima (PSN N5), and 20 previous Starlink batches.
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) February 17, 2026
Just like its West Coast counterpart, the 26-flight veteran booster successfully separated and stuck its landing (15:50 mark in the video), touching down on the drone ship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean. The second stage went on to successfully deploy the 29 Starlink satellites into their target orbit.
Setting the Bar
This double-launch weekend is a perfect example of SpaceX's ultimate goal: treating orbital rocket launches more like commercial airline operations.
By maintaining a relentless launch cadence across multiple active launch pads, SpaceX is able to rapidly iterate and expand its Starlink network while simultaneously driving down the cost of access to space through reliable booster reuse.
With dozens more launches planned for 2026, we can expect to see plenty more of these cross-country doubleheaders as the year progresses.
