🚀 Falcon 9 | 🛰 Starlink Group 12-15
Launch date: May 21, 2025 03:18 UTC
Payload: Starlink Group 12-15
Location: Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida
Vehicle: Falcon 9
SpaceX’s Starlink Group 12-15 mission launched 23 Starlink V2 Mini satellites—13 with Direct to Cell capabilities—using debut Falcon 9 booster B1095 from SLC-40, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, on May 21, 2025 at 03:18:10 UTC. An initial launch attempt on May 20 was scrubbed minutes before liftoff. The first stage booster then landed successfully on the droneship ‘Just Read The Instructions,’ marking its 121st booster recovery. This flight was SpaceX’s 60th Falcon 9 launch and 43rd Starlink mission of 2025. The payload emphasized Direct to Cell communication, supporting SpaceX’s satellite internet constellation. Satellite deployment was confirmed about an hour after launch.
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SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, USA
Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) is a historic launch site located at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Built in the 1960s, it was originally used for Titan III and Titan IV launches, supporting a variety of military, intelligence, and interplanetary missions. After a period of inactivity, SpaceX leased and extensively modified SLC-40 in the 2000s to launch Falcon 9 rockets.
Since becoming operational for SpaceX in 2010, SLC-40 has become a principal hub for commercial, governmental, and crewed missions aboard Falcon 9. The pad has seen dozens of launches annually, significantly contributing to America’s presence in space exploration, satellite deployment, and servicing the International Space Station.