A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches on the Starlink 15-11 mission on Dec. 10, 2025. This was the 160th Falcon 9 launch of 2025. Image: SpaceX

SpaceX launches 160th Falcon 9 rocket of 2025

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Update Dec. 10, 9 a.m. EST (1400 UTC): SpaceX confirms deployment of the 27 Starlink satellites.

SpaceX executed a pre-dawn launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Wednesday morning. The flight was the 160th of a Falcon 9 rocket so far in 2025.

The Starlink 15-11 mission added another 27 broadband internet satellites to its growing megaconstellation in low Earth orbit. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 4 East happened at 3:40 a.m. PST (6:40 a.m. EST / 1140 UTC).

This was the third fastest turnaround of SLC-4E to date.

SpaceX launched the mission using the Falcon 9 booster, 1082. This was its 18th flight following missions, like USSF-62, NROL-145 and OneWeb Launch 20.

About 8.5 minutes after liftoff, B1082 landed on the drone ship, ‘Of Course I Still Love You,’ which was the 169th landing on this vessel and 548th booster landing to date.