A SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying 27 Starlink satellites launched on October 27, 2026, from Space Launch Complex 4-East at Vandenberg Space Force Base. Northwest Florida Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported it as Vandenberg’s 72nd launch of the year and a new annual record for California.
The previous Vandenberg record was 71 launches
An earlier USA TODAY Network report put Vandenberg’s 2025 annual record at 71 launches. The 2026 milestone was one launch higher.
| Place and period | Reported launches |
| Vandenberg, 2025 annual record | 71 |
| Vandenberg, October 27, 2026 | 72nd |
| Florida, full year 2025 | 109 |
| Florida, through the end of October 2026 | 60 |
Florida’s 2026 count covers a different period from Vandenberg’s October 27 milestone, so the figures are not synchronized snapshots.
SpaceX’s Starlink shift was one factor in Florida’s slower pace
The USA TODAY Network report linked Florida’s slower launch pace to SpaceX shifting Starlink activity to California while preparing for Starship operations in Florida. It also cited months-long groundings of Blue Origin’s New Glenn and United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan.
Launch outlook figures remained forecasts
Space Force officials projected about 80 California launches by the end of 2026. Col. James Horne III suggested Vandenberg could reach 100 launches in 2027.
