SpaceX has announced a delay in the liftoff time for the much-anticipated Starlink 15-1 mission. The launch is now scheduled to take place from the Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base at 5:38 p.m. PST (8:38 p.m. EST, 0138 UTC). The mission will feature the deployment of 22 Starlink V2 Mini satellites into low Earth orbit.
For enthusiasts keen on following the event, Spaceflight Now will provide live coverage approximately 30 minutes before the scheduled liftoff. This mission marks another milestone for SpaceX as it continues its ambitious plan of expanding the Starlink satellite constellation.
The Falcon 9 first stage booster, tail number B1082, will be employed for the launch. This will be its 11th mission, having previously launched USSF-62, OneWeb Launch 20, and eight Starlink batches. Following a successful launch, the booster is expected to land on the SpaceX droneship, ‘Of Course I Still Love You,’ which would mark the 121st booster landing for this particular droneship and the 412th overall for SpaceX.
With the launch of the Starlink 15-1 mission, SpaceX will have deployed over 8,000 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. According to Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer and expert orbital tracker, this mission brings the total number of Starlink satellites launched in 2025 alone to 376. As of February 21, there are 7,078 Starlink satellites still operational in orbit.
The flight will place its Starlink satellites at an inclination of 70 degrees. The first operational batch of Starlink satellites to this inclination was launched on September 13, 2021, during the Starlink 2-1 mission. A total of eight missions have been launched as part of Starlink Group 2, with the last being Starlink 2-10 on May 31, 2023.
Notably, all missions launched for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) to support its proliferated architecture have also been sent to a 70-degree inclination. These satellites are believed to be part of the Starshield program, a government version of Starlink developed by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman. The NROL-126 mission, launched on November 30, 2024, was unique as it included 20 Starlink satellites in its payload.
SpaceX has not disclosed whether this flight will carry any Starshield satellites or if it aims to replenish satellites that have been deorbited. According to McDowell's database, of the 408 Starlink V1.5 satellites launched as part of Group 2, 12 are no longer in orbit as of February 21.
