A Historic Milestone for SpaceX
SpaceX has reached a significant operational milestone, successfully delivering three telecommunications satellites into orbit. The mission took place on September 13, launching from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This flight serves as a landmark moment for the company, as it represents the 700th successful mission in the history of the Falcon rocket program.
The Falcon rocket family has evolved considerably since its inception in March 2006, when the Falcon 1 first launched. Following five flights of the original vehicle, SpaceX transitioned to the Falcon 9 in 2010, which has since become the company's primary workhorse. The Falcon Heavy, another variant of the family, has also contributed to this legacy with 13 missions to date.
Mission Details and Satellite Deployment
The launch featured a Falcon 9 rocket carrying the final trio of satellites for the O3b mPOWER constellation, operated by Luxembourg-based SES. Approximately nine minutes following liftoff, the Falcon 9’s first-stage booster (B1080) successfully touched down on the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean. This marked the 29th flight for this specific booster.
The upper stage continued its trajectory, deploying the three Boeing-built satellites into medium Earth orbit (MEO) at an altitude of 5,000 miles (8,000 kilometers). These satellites are a critical component for SES, as the company states:
«It transforms how networks operate by pairing advanced software defined satellites with an intelligent ground and software ecosystem — ensuring guaranteed performance, even as global bandwidth demands surge.»
The Future of Connectivity
With this latest launch, the O3b mPOWER constellation is now complete. These satellites are designed to provide high-throughput, low-latency connectivity for industries that require constant and reliable uptime. Weighing roughly 3,750 pounds (1,700 kilograms) each, all of these satellites have been launched by SpaceX on Falcon 9 vehicles since late 2022.
As of this mission, SpaceX has conducted 107 orbital flights in 2026, with the Falcon 9 accounting for 105 of those launches and the Falcon Heavy handling the remaining two. Additionally, the company continues to advance its Starship program, preparing for upcoming orbital test flights as it expands its launch capabilities.