SpaceX is lighting up the skies and breaking records with a blistering pace of rocket launches in 2025. From deploying Starlink satellites to gearing up for the Axiom-4 mission to the ISS, Elon Musk’s company is pushing the boundaries of space exploration. Here’s the latest on SpaceX’s recent launches.
Monday’s Stunning Starlink Launch
On June 16 at 8:36 PM PT (03:36 UTC June 17), SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California carrying 26 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit. The launch created a dazzling twilight plume visible across Southern California and Arizona with residents in Victor Valley calling it a “light show.” The Falcon 9’s first-stage booster nailed its third flight landing on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship in the Pacific eight minutes after liftoff. This mission pushed SpaceX’s Starlink constellation past 7,000 satellites fueling global internet coverage.
Record-Breaking Pace in 2025
SpaceX hit its 50th orbital launch of 2025 on June 13 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida delivering 23 Starlink satellites. This milestone came three weeks ahead of last year’s pace when the 50th launch wasn’t until July 8. The company’s aiming for 175 to 180 Falcon launches this year alone with 75 already under its belt including 73 Falcon 9s and two Starships. The June 13 launch saw a veteran booster complete its 21st flight showcasing SpaceX’s reusable rocket tech that’s slashing costs and transforming the industry.
Axiom-4 Mission Targets June 19
The Axiom-4 private astronaut mission to the ISS is now set for June 19 after a liquid oxygen leak in the Falcon 9 booster delayed the original June 11 liftoff. SpaceX fixed the issue with a successful fueling test on June 12 and NASA confirmed repairs to a leak in the ISS’s Russian module. The crew—commander Peggy Whitson, pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, and mission specialists Tibor Kapu and Sławosz Uznański—will launch from Kennedy Space Center on a Falcon 9 and Dragon capsule for a 14-day mission packed with 60 science experiments. This marks a historic first for astronauts from India, Hungary, and Poland on the ISS.
Community Impact and Concerns
SpaceX’s frequent launches are thrilling but not without pushback. At a June 13 hearing in Lompoc California residents voiced worries about noise from Vandenberg launches with one reporting rattling windows and barking dogs during a Sunday morning liftoff. SpaceX’s plan to add a second launch site and two landing zones at Vandenberg has raised concerns about impacts on people and wildlife. Yet some like local Bradley Wilkinson support the expansion for its economic boost. Vandenberg has limited nighttime launches but some missions still require off-hours liftoffs.
Starship’s Rocky Road
SpaceX’s massive Starship rocket faced a setback on May 27 during its ninth test flight from Starbase Texas. A propellant leak caused the uncrewed rocket to spin out and break apart during re-entry—what SpaceX calls a “rapid unscheduled disassembly.” Despite the failure the mission was a milestone as it reused a Super Heavy booster from a prior flight. Starship’s 33 Raptor engines make it the most powerful rocket ever and SpaceX is banking on it for Mars missions. The FAA recently approved up to 25 annual launches from Texas despite environmental objections.
SpaceX is prepping for another Starlink launch from Cape Canaveral on June 18 at 9:05 AM EDT (13:05 UTC) with a backup window on June 19. The company’s also eyeing Starship’s next test flight and plans to build new launch pads at Launch Complex-37 for Starship-Super Heavy systems by 2026. With Amazon’s Kuiper satellites challenging Starlink and Pentagon concerns about SpaceX’s dominance competitors like Blue Origin are racing to catch up. Posts online show fans hyped with one saying “SpaceX is making space feel closer than ever!”