Kennedy Space Center, Florida – SpaceX completed its 40th mission of 2025 on Sunday, December 7, launching 29 additional Starlink internet satellites into low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A.

The Falcon 9 lifted off at 8:31 p.m. EST (0131 GMT on December 8), marking the company’s third launch in three days.

About eight minutes after liftoff, the first stage, booster B1067, touched down on the droneship “Just Read the Instructions,” completing its 32nd flight and setting a new record for a Falcon 9 booster.

B1067 has now flown more often than any other Falcon 9 first stage, surpassing booster B1062, which was retired after 23 flights. This high level of reuse is central to SpaceX’s effort to lower the cost of spaceflight.

The 29 Starlink satellites were released roughly 65 minutes after launch, joining a constellation of more than 7,000 operational spacecraft. The network delivers high-speed internet globally, with particular attention to underserved regions.

This mission continues a rapid launch tempo for SpaceX, which has flown more than 130 missions in 2025, including Starlink flights and other commercial and government payloads.

The launch, initially planned for Saturday, December 6, was postponed because of weather concerns. Conditions on Sunday featured clear skies and light winds at the pad.

SpaceX plans to maintain its pace in the coming weeks, with further Starlink launches and other missions scheduled, including a flight targeted for Wednesday, December 10, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

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