CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. / VANDENBERG SFB, Calif. — SpaceX achieved a milestone in commercial spaceflight, setting a company record for the shortest time between two orbital launches.
The aerospace manufacturer launched two Falcon 9 rockets from opposite coasts of the United States just 38 minutes apart, breaking its previous dual-launch record set in August 2024 by 27 minutes.
East Coast Launch: Globalstar 2-R Constellation Replenishment
The record-setting sequence began at Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The Falcon 9 rocket successfully lifted off carrying eight low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites for Louisiana-based telecommunications provider Globalstar.
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Payload Deployment: All eight Globalstar 2-R satellites separated from the upper stage over a six-minute window beginning 56.5 minutes after liftoff.
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Booster Recovery: First-stage booster B1090 completed its 14th flight, executing a precision touchdown at Landing Zone 40 (LZ-40) in Florida approximately eight minutes post-launch.
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Constellation Impact: The newly added satellites strengthen Globalstar’s mobile satellite service (MSS) network, supporting global direct-to-device connectivity infrastructure.
Globalstar 2-R Launch 1 Mission Snapshot:
• Launch Site: Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40), Cape Canaveral SFS, FL
• Liftoff Time: 9:12 p.m. EDT (01:12 UTC)
• Payload: 8 Globalstar LEO Telecommunication Satellites
• First-Stage Landing: LZ-40 Ground Touchdown (14th Mission for Booster B1090)
West Coast Launch: Classified USSF-366 National Security Mission
Just 38 minutes after the Florida liftoff, a second Falcon 9 rocket launched from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The rocket carried out the USSF-366 mission under a National Security Space Launch (NSSL) task order for the U.S. Space Force.
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Classified Payload: Specific details regarding the USSF-366 payload remain undisclosed. Industry analysts speculate the launch delivered classified defense satellites built on SpaceX’s Starshield bus platform into low Earth orbit.
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Pacific Droneship Landing: The first-stage booster (B1088) successfully landed on the autonomous droneship “Of Course I Still Love You” stationed in the Pacific Ocean 8.5 minutes after liftoff, marking its 18th successful flight.
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Milestone Recovery: The touchdown represented the 650th overall landing of a Falcon series booster.
USSF-366 Mission Snapshot:
• Launch Site: Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E), Vandenberg SFB, CA
• Liftoff Time: 9:50 p.m. EDT / 6:50 p.m. PDT (01:50 UTC)
• Customer: U.S. Space Force / Department of Defense
• First-Stage Landing: Droneship "Of Course I Still Love You" (18th Mission for Booster B1088)
SpaceX Operational Cadence and Launch Schedule
The dual-launch doubleheader pushes SpaceX’s total to 96 Falcon 9 missions completed, keeping the company on track for another record-breaking launch output year driven by Starlink constellation expansion and commercial satellite deployments.
Space enthusiasts and industry observers can track live mission telemetry and upcoming rocket launch schedules directly on the official SpaceX Mission Portal.
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