SpaceX successfully launched a new Falcon 9 booster from Cape Canaveral late Tuesday, delivering 23 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit after an automated abort delayed the original launch by one day.
Liftoff occurred at 11:19 p.m. EDT (03:19 UTC) from Space Launch Complex 40. The mission marked the inaugural flight of booster B1095, the fourth new Falcon 9 rocket introduced by SpaceX in 2025. The company now has 19 boosters in its active fleet.
The launch was initially scheduled for Monday but was halted when the countdown stopped at T-minus 2 minutes and 28 seconds. SpaceX later said in a post that an “auto abort” was triggered, adding: “Vehicle and payload are in good health, and teams are resetting for a launch attempt no earlier than Tuesday, May 20.” No specific reason was given for the abort.
Following a resolution of the issue, the rocket was returned to the vertical position Tuesday afternoon for a new launch attempt. About eight minutes after liftoff, the first stage successfully landed on the droneship Just Read the Instructions, marking its 121st landing and the company's 449th overall booster recovery.
The mission carried 23 Starlink satellites, including 13 equipped with direct-to-cellphone communication capabilities. SpaceX confirmed that payload deployment occurred approximately one hour and five minutes into the flight, after a brief second-stage burn to achieve orbital insertion.
The launch is part of SpaceX's ongoing effort to enhance the Starlink satellite network, which provides global broadband coverage and is now expanding into mobile connectivity.