SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket streaks into Florida’s night sky carrying Starlink satellites to orbit (video)

SpaceX launched another batch of its Starlink internet satellites in a nighttime liftoff from Florida’s Space Coast on Tuesday (Nov. 18).

A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 29 Starlink spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Tuesday at 7:12 p.m. EST (0012 GMT on Nov. 19).

About 8.5 minutes later, the rocket’s first stage touched down in the Atlantic Ocean on the SpaceX drone ship “A Shortfall of Gravitas.” It was the 12th launch and landing for the booster, which carries the designation 1085.

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A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 29 Starlink satellites from Florida on Nov. 18, 2025. (Image credit: SpaceX)

The rocket’s upper stage deployed the 29 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit as planned about 65 minutes after launch, SpaceX announced via X.

Once they’re up and running, the newcomers will push the number of operational Starlink craft above 9,000. That count currently stands at 8,979, according to astrophysicist and satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell.

The Falcon 9’s first stage on the drone ship after landing on Nov. 18, 2025. (Image credit: SpaceX)

Previous Booster 1085 missions

The company has also launched five suborbital test flights of its giant Starship rocket this year. Starship, the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built, is designed to be fully and rapidly reusable.

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