On the morning of March 4, SpaceX lifted a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral, launching a cluster of 29 new broadband satellites into low‑Earth orbit. The mission, dubbed Starlink 10‑40, marked the company’s 600th satellite deployment for the year.
Pre‑launch preparations
The launch window opened at 5:52 a.m. EST (1052 UTC). Weather forecasts from the 45th Weather Squadron predicted a 90‑percent chance of clear skies, with only a slight possibility of cumulus interference.
Falcon 9 performance
The booster, identified by tail number 1080, executed a north‑easterly trajectory before reaching orbit. Engineers monitored not only the ascent but also potential recovery conditions for the first stage.
"We’re thrilled to see another milestone achieved in our mission to provide global broadband coverage," said SpaceX’s launch director during the post‑flight briefing.
The 600th satellite
While each Starlink node offers high‑speed internet, the 600th launch of 2026 underscores the rapid expansion of the constellation. Analysts note that this pace may accelerate competition among satellite‑internet providers worldwide.