On May 9, 2025, SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base for the Starlink 15-3 mission. Initially scheduled for May 3, the launch faced delays without specified reasons. Liftoff occurred at 5:19 p.m. PDT, with the rocket following a south-easterly trajectory from Launch Complex 4 East. The mission utilized booster B1081, marking its 14th flight, and after about eight minutes, it landed on the droneship “Of Course I Still Love You.” This launch contributes to an increased frequency of Falcon 9 missions, following FAA approval for more launches from Vandenberg.
SpaceX successfully conducted its first Falcon 9 launch of the month from Vandenberg Space Force Base, following a prior scrubbing of the mission nearly a week earlier.
The Starlink 15-3 mission had originally been slated for launch on Saturday, May 3, but was rescheduled to Friday, May 9. No specific reason for the delays was provided by SpaceX.
The Falcon 9 rocket followed a south-easterly path from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E). Liftoff occurred at 5:19 p.m. PDT (8:19 p.m. EDT, 0019 UTC).
For this mission, SpaceX utilized the Falcon 9 first-stage booster, tail number 1081, marking its 14th flight. This booster had previously launched Crew-7, CRS-29, two Transporter rideshare missions, and NASA’s PACE spacecraft.
Shortly after eight minutes into the flight, B1081 successfully landed on the SpaceX droneship, ‘Of Course I Still Love You.’ This marked the 128th landing accomplished by that vessel and the 441st booster landing overall.
Residents in the southwestern United States can expect to witness significantly more Falcon 9 rocket launches this year compared to previous years. In March, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) from the Department of the Air Force, allowing SpaceX to increase launch numbers from SLC-4E from 36 to 50.