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California Shatters Annual Rocket Launch Record

California has surpassed its previous annual rocket launch record with seventy-two flights from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Meanwhile launch activity in Florida has slowed as SpaceX prepares for Starship operations.

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SpaceX launches its Falcon 9 rocket at 12:26 a.m. PT Tuesday, Oct. 27 from the Vandenberg Space Force Base. The mission, deploying 27 of the company's Starlink internet satellites to Earth orbit, marked the 72nd launch overall in 2026 in California. The total surpassed the number of launches for all of 2025, setting a new record.

California surpassed its annual rocket launch record with 72 flights after a Tuesday morning liftoff at Vandenberg Space Force Base, outpacing the United States space hub in Florida. The record-setting milestone arrived with more than two months remaining in 2026, driven by a surge in commercial payloads. California is now positioned to outpace Florida in annual launches for the first time in five decades.