SpaceX's fleet-leading booster makes 31st launch from Space Coast

Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel on Oct 19, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

SpaceX plowed ahead with a record 31st launch of one of its Falcon 9 boosters with another Starlink mission from the Space Coast on Sunday.

A Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-17 mission carrying 28 satellites lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1:39 p.m.

The first-stage booster made its fleet-leading 31st flight with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic.

This was the 86th orbital launch from the Space Coast in 2025, with all but five coming from SpaceX.

The company touts reuse to bring down cost, and last week landed a Falcon 9 booster for the 500th time. The first booster recovery came in 2015.

It has several more boosters approaching 30 launches, and has intentions to fly them as many as 40 times.

Falcon 9’s second stages are still one-time use only, but the company’s future looks to shift to a fully reusable Starship and Super Heavy rocket with both the first stage and upper stage able to make recovery landings back at the launch site.

_____

SpaceX is plowing ahead with a record 31st launch of one of its Falcon 9 boosters with another Starlink mission set to fly from the Space Coast on Sunday.

A Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-17 mission carrying 28 satellites is slated to lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1:40 p.m. during a launch window that runs through 2:52 p.m.

Space Launch Delta 45’s weather squadron forecasts better than a 95% chance for good weather conditions.

The first-stage booster is making its fleet-leading 31st flight and will aim for a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic.

This would be the 86th orbital launch from the Space Coast in 2025 with all but five coming from SpaceX.

The company touts reuse to bring down cost and last week landed a Falcon 9 booster for the 500th time. The first booster recovery came in 2015.

It has several more boosters approaching 30 launches, and has intentions to fly them as many as 40 times.

_____