SpaceX launches Globalstar, classified US Space Force missions 38 minutes apart in record-breaking feat

SpaceX achieved a significant operational milestone Saturday evening, launching two Falcon 9 rockets a mere 38.5 minutes apart from opposite coasts of the United States. This feat shattered the company's previous dual-launch record of 65 minutes, demonstrating its rapidly increasing operational cadence and mastery of reusable rocket technology.

The first mission lifted off from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 9:12 p.m. EDT, deploying eight low Earth orbit satellites for the satellite communications company Globalstar. These satellites are crucial for expanding Globalstar's constellation infrastructure, supporting direct-to-device communications services.

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The satellites successfully deployed over a six-minute window beginning roughly 56 minutes post-liftoff, expanding Globalstar's constellation infrastructure.

Just 38.5 minutes later, at 9:50 p.m. EDT, a second Falcon 9 rocket launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. This mission carried the classified USSF-366 payload for the U.S. Space Force. Both launches were followed by precise landings of the Falcon 9 first-stage boosters, further highlighting SpaceX's success in booster recovery.

The Globalstar booster, designated B1090, completed its 14th mission before landing successfully. The USSF-366 booster, B1088, marked its 18th flight and landed on a droneship in the Pacific Ocean. This recovery was the 650th successful Falcon booster landing in SpaceX's history. The successful deployment of Globalstar's satellites comes as the company is nearing a planned acquisition by Amazon, intended to bolster its satellite broadband initiatives. Saturday night's dual launch brought SpaceX's total mission count for 2026 to 96 orbital flights, reinforcing its dominant position in the global commercial launch market.

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Globalstar Chief Executive Paul E Jacobs hailed the successful deployment as a vital step in bolstering the infrastructure that underpins global consumer and enterprise communications.