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SpaceXFalcon 9 Block 5Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Starlink Group 15-18

Launched

October 31, 2026 · 04:04 UTC

Launch Successful
Space X Starlink Mission Patch

Image: SpaceX

Summary

Falcon 9 Block 5 launched Starlink Group 15-18 for SpaceX, a batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation, SpaceX's space-based internet communication system. The launch vehicle successfully inserted its payloads into the target orbit.

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Vehicle
Falcon 9 Block 5 · SpaceXStarlink
Booster
  • B1093 · flight 18 · Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship at Of Course I Still Love You · landed233/241 landed here · 41 days after its previous flight, Starlink Group 15-27 · 574 km downrange
Mission
Communications · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)for SpX
Milestone
644th Falcon 9 Block 5 flight · 118th this yearSpaceX's 743rd launch124th this yearhumanity's 7,427th orbital launch attempt254th orbital launch attempt this year

Flight preview

Simulate in Flight Club

Orbit: as tracked

259 × 264 km · 70.0°At launchearliest tracked set, 2026-11-03
70.0°Inclination
268 × 273 kmPerigee × apogeefrom mean elements
89.8 minPeriodfrom mean elements
164.2°Ascending node
18 h agoElement epoch2026-11-04 06:00 UTC

STARLINK-38432 · NORAD 101230 · 2026-246A · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 27 objects

Show the numbers for orbit elements
Object
STARLINK-38432
Object ID
2026-246A
Epoch
2026-11-04 06:00:02 UTC
Mean motion
16.03950876 rev/day
Eccentricity
0.00040114
Inclination
70.0012°
Ascending node
164.164°
Arg. of perigee
270.8439°
Mean anomaly
60.9228°
Element set
999
Rev at epoch
187
B*
-0.0034430336

Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: LEO. Ascent simulated from a published stage table. Booster return simulated from the stage table, holding 40 t in reserve.

Flight timeline

23 steps, T−38 min to T+1 h 1 min
  1. T−38MGO for Prop Load
  2. T−35MStage 1 LOX Load
  3. T−35MProp Load
  4. T−16MStage 2 LOX Load
  5. T−7MEngine Chill
  6. T−1MStartup
  7. T−1MTank Press
  8. T−45SGO for Launch
  9. T−3SIgnition
  10. T−0Liftoff
  11. T+1M8SMax-Q
  12. T+2M26SMECO
  13. T+2M29SStage 2 Separation
  14. T+2M36SSES-1
  15. T+2M58SFairing Separation
  16. T+6M1SEntry Burn Startup
  17. T+6M24SEntry Burn Shutdown
  18. T+7M58SStage 1 Landing Burn
  19. T+8M20SStage 1 Landing
  20. T+8M39SSECO-1
  21. T+53M7SSES-2
  22. T+53M8SSECO-2
  23. T+1H1M59SStarlink Deployment

About this launch

Starlink Group 15-18 launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 from Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on October 31, 2026 at 04:04 UTC. The launch window ran from 03:48 to 07:48 UTC. It was SpaceX's 743rd launch, 124th this year and humanity's 7,427th orbital launch attempt. It was the 644th Falcon 9 Block 5 flight and the 118th this year. Booster B1093 flew for the 18th time and landed at Of Course I Still Love You. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). The earliest tracked orbit of STARLINK-38432, one of 27 catalogued objects, from November 3, 2026, was 259 × 264 km inclined 70.0°.

A batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.

Official page: SpaceX

News

2 stories

Airspace and maritime notices

1 notice filed by the US Coast Guard

  • Sector San Diego, Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)/Space Operations/Hazardous Warning Area/Commercial (Hazardous) · Expired

    Matched by notice text · Source

Pad

Map of Space Launch Complex 4E

Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

306th launch from Space Launch Complex 4E, 68th this year · 922nd from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Local pad time at liftoff: Oct 30, 9:04 PM PDT, at night

306 launches from this pad · 922 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

3 days 20 hours after the previous launch from this pad

All launches from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USAOpen in maps

Updates

Launch success.

Cosmic_Penguin · Oct 31, 2026 · source

Show 8 earlier updates

  • Liftoff.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 10/31/2026 · source

  • Unofficial Re-stream by SPACE AFFAIRS has started

    LL2 · 10/31/2026 · source

  • Now targeting Oct 31 at 04:04 UTC

    Cosmic_Penguin · 10/31/2026 · source

  • Now targeting Oct 31 at 04:02 UTC

    Cosmic_Penguin · 10/30/2026 · source

  • Now targeting Oct 31 at 03:48 UTC

    Cosmic_Penguin · 10/28/2026 · source

  • Now targeting Oct 30 at 04:02 UTC

    Cosmic_Penguin · 10/23/2026 · source

  • Now targeting Oct 29 at 04:17 UTC

    Cosmic_Penguin · 10/22/2026 · source

  • Added launch.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 10/19/2026 · source

Questions

When did Starlink Group 15-18 launch?

Starlink Group 15-18 launched on October 31, 2026 at 04:04 UTC. The launch window ran from 03:48 to 07:48 UTC.

Where can I watch Starlink Group 15-18?

Coverage: SpaceX Starlink Group 15-18; SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches batch of Starlink satellites from California; Starlink Mission. Watch the replay

What rocket launched Starlink Group 15-18?

Falcon 9 Block 5, flown by SpaceX. Falcon 9 Block 5 spec sheet

Where did Starlink Group 15-18 launch from?

Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA. Liftoff was Oct 30, 9:04 PM PDT local time at the pad.

Did the booster land?

Booster B1093 flew for the 18th time and landed at Of Course I Still Love You.

What orbit did Starlink Group 15-18 reach?

The earliest tracked orbit of STARLINK-38432, one of 27 catalogued objects, from November 3, 2026, was 259 × 264 km inclined 70.0°.

Which program is Starlink Group 15-18 part of?

Starlink. About Starlink