SpaceX launched three Boeing-built O3b mPOWER telecom satellites to medium Earth orbit on Sept. 13, 2026, marking the 700th flight for the company’s Falcon rocket family since its 2006 debut, according to mission reports. The milestone mission lifted off at 2:49 p.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, carrying the final spacecraft needed to complete Luxembourg-based SES’s broadband constellation.
Falcon Rocket Family Reaches 700-Flight Milestone
The flight representing mission number 700 utilized a Falcon 9 first stage booster designated B1080, which completed its 29th flight, according to mission data tracked by Spaceflight Now. The booster previously supported four International Space Station cargo runs, the European Space Agency’s Euclid observatory, SES’s Astra 1P, and 22 batches of Starlink satellites. Following stage separation, the booster returned to Earth just under nine minutes after liftoff, touching down in the Atlantic Ocean on the SpaceX droneship “A Shortfall of Gravitas.” This marked the 166th landing on that specific vessel and the 661st Falcon booster landing overall, per Spaceflight Now reporting.
https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2099237998294454546
SpaceX’s Falcon rocket family traces its history back to the Falcon 1, which debuted in March 2006 and flew five times before retiring in favor of the workhorse Falcon 9 in 2010. The Falcon 9 has driven the vast majority of the family’s flight rate, supported by the Falcon Heavy variant, which has flown 13 times. Sunday’s launch marked SpaceX’s 107th orbital mission of the year, consisting of 105 Falcon 9 flights and two Falcon Heavy launches.
Completing the O3b mPOWER Constellation
The upper stage of the Falcon 9 continued its journey to medium Earth orbit, deploying satellites F11, F12, and F13 over a 14-minute span starting approximately 33.5 minutes after liftoff at an altitude of 5,000 miles (8,000 kilometers), according to SpaceX. The trio rounds out SES’s O3b mPOWER network, bringing the total number of operational satellites in the constellation to 13.
Did you know? SES operates its O3b mPOWER constellation in medium Earth orbit to deliver predictable low latency and high throughput for enterprise and government users where network uptime is critical. Each Boeing-manufactured spacecraft has a dry mass of roughly 1,900 kg (3,750 pounds).
Prior to the delivery of the final trio of spacecraft in early September 2026, manufacturer Boeing discovered an electrical issue affecting both the broadband capacity and estimated operational life of satellites 5 and 6, according to Spaceflight Now. To compensate, engineers made hardware adjustments to satellites 7 through 11 and added two extra spacecraft to the constellation roadmap.
“The delivery of these final three satellites allows us to ramp up our constellation’s capabilities to meet growing commercial and government demand,” said Xavier Bertran, chief product and innovation officer of SES, in statements cited by Spaceflight Now.
Weather and Pad Operations at SLC-40
Liftoff occurred from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The 45th Weather Squadron had initially forecast a 60 percent chance of favorable weather at the opening of the launch window, dropping to 40 percent by the end due to sea breeze dynamics and potential storm development, according to pre-launch meteorological forecasts reported by Spaceflight Now.
The flight also marked the 400th orbital launch to depart from SLC-40, a pad where SpaceX has hosted 345 of those departures. Following modifications in 2023 that added a crew and cargo access tower, the launch complex began supporting NASA Dragon cargo missions in March 2024, utilizing booster B1080 for the CRS-30 mission.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the payload on the September 13, 2026 Falcon 9 launch?
The rocket carried the final three O3b mPOWER broadband communication satellites built by Boeing for Luxembourg-based operator SES.
How many total flights has the Falcon rocket family completed?
According to SpaceX, the flight marked the 700th mission for the Falcon rocket family since the inaugural Falcon 1 flight in 2006.
Where did the Falcon 9 first stage land?
Booster B1080 landed on the SpaceX droneship “A Shortfall of Gravitas” in the Atlantic Ocean roughly 8.5 minutes after liftoff.
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