SpaceX Just Broke Its Own Record

SpaceX launched the Starlink Group 10-42 mission early Thursday morning, July 9, 2026, at 5:25 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The Falcon 9 carried 29 Starlink V2 Mini satellites to low Earth orbit, with deployment confirmed approximately 63.5 minutes after liftoff. The mission set a new reusability record. Booster B1067 flew for the 36th time — the most flights ever completed by a single orbital rocket booster in history. B1067 has previously supported NASA's CRS-22 cargo mission, the Crew-3 and Crew-4 astronaut flights to the International Space Station, and more than two dozen Starlink deployments. Following stage separation, B1067 successfully landed on the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately eight minutes after liftoff. The predawn launch timing produced a widely photographed "space jellyfish" effect across Florida and parts of the Southeast U.S. The phenomenon occurs when sunlight illuminates the rocket's exhaust plume at altitude while ground observers remain in pre-dawn darkness, causing the expanding gases to appear as a glowing, iridescent formation in the sky. With the addition of these 29 satellites, SpaceX's Starlink constellation now exceeds 10,700 active spacecraft in low Earth orbit, according to Spaceflight Now, making it the largest satellite network ever deployed. Starlink provides high-speed broadband to remote, rural, maritime, and underserved communities globally. #SpaceX #Starlink #FalconLaunch 🌐 Find more market-moving insights at https://www.benzinga.com — your one-stop destination for the latest financial news, data, and expert analysis to stay ahead of the markets. 🖥️ Want the same tools the pros use—without the $10K Bloomberg terminal? Benzinga Edge gives you real-time portfolio alerts, weekly stock picks, and pro-grade research in one command center. 👉 https://bit.ly/4unSKiB ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 📲 Follow us on socials @benzinga 🔔 Subscribe To The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Benzinga ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ⚠️ Disclaimer: Investing in financial markets carries risk, and there are no guaranteed returns. All information is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as financial advice. Always do your own research and speak with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. Only invest what you can afford to lose. Past performance does not guarantee future outcomes.