SpaceX F9 : Starlink group 17-20 : VSFB SLC-4E : 25 January 2026 (17:30 UTC)

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Thread for the Starlink Group 17-20 launch.

Launch 25 January 2026, at 17:30:39 UTC (9:30 am PST), from Vandenberg SLC-4E, on booster 1097-6. The first stage has successfully landed aboard Of Course I Still Love You.

Payload 25 Starlink V2.0 Mini satellites, to a 97.29 degrees inclination orbit on a southwestern trajectory.  Initial orbit 245 x 261 km.

Please use the Starlink Discussion Thread for all general discussion on Starlink.

Check the Starlink Index Thread for links to more Starlink information.


L2 SpaceX: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?board=60.0

[Galactic Penguin SST]

From CADENA OIS:

Primary Launch Day 25 JAN 1517Z-2000Z Backup Launch Day 26 JAN 1517Z-2000Z Backup Launch Day 27 JAN 1517Z-2000Z Backup Launch Day 28 JAN 1517Z-2000Z Backup Launch Day 29 JAN 1517Z-2000Z Backup Launch Day 30 JAN 1517Z-2000Z Backup Launch Day 31 JAN 1517Z-2000Z

[Galactic Penguin SST]

https://www.spacex.com/launches/sl-17-20

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is targeting the launch of 24 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

A live webcast of this mission will begin about five minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the X TV app.

This is the 13th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched NROL-126, Transporter-12, SPHEREx, NROL-57, and eight Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean.

There is the possibility that residents of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties may hear one or more sonic booms during the launch, but what residents experience will depend on weather and other conditions.

[Steven Pietrobon]

PDF of online press kit.

[zubenelgenubi]

https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/
Supplemental GP Element Sets
Current as of 2026 Jan 22 22:17:49 UTC (Day 022)

Starlink G17-20 Pre-Launch   
Derived from a pre-launch Starlink-G17-20 state vector, provided by SpaceX. SupGP data is provided for the entire stack, as well as one for a single satellite.

Launch: 2026-01-25 15:17:00 UTC.
Deploy: 2026-01-25 16:19:11.760 UTC.
Launch window: 2026-01-25 15:17:00 UTC to 2026-01-25 19:17:00 UTC.

https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/table.php?FILE=starlink-g17-20&FORMAT=tle
Pre-Launch Derived Orbit:
245 km x 261 km x 97.29 degrees

[catdlr]

Here is a consolidated post of available video links for this launch:

SpaceX's direct live broadcast on
Website:  https://www.spacex.com/launches/sl-17-20
 Twitter:  https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1MYxNlmpmZLGw

SpaceX Re-broadcast alternatives on YouTube: 
Space Affairs:  https://youtube.com/watch?v=DQxbRFJ2ins

There is no planned NSF Live coverage. Alternate Pre-Launch Coverage:  https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceflightNowVideo/streams

Replay supplied by The Space Devs (15 min after the broadcast end):  https://youtube.com/@thespacedevs/videos

Summary Video provided by SciNews (15 min after the broadcast ends):  https://youtube.com/@SciNewsRo/videos

[zubenelgenubi]

Note:

We just got late hour boosters swapping for 4 Starlink launches
17-20: 1088->1097
17-19: 1097->1082
6-101: 1090->1095
6-103: 1095->1090

[zubenelgenubi]

https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/
Supplemental GP Element Sets
Current as of 2026 Jan 24 10:47:56 UTC (Day 024)

Starlink G17-20 Pre-Launch   
Derived from a pre-launch Starlink-G17-20 state vector, provided by SpaceX. SupGP data is provided for the entire stack, as well as one for a single satellite.

Launch: 2026-01-25 15:17:00 UTC.
Deploy: 2026-01-25 16:19:04.720 UTC.
Launch window: 2026-01-25 15:17:00 UTC to 2026-01-25 15:18:29 UTC.

Backup Launch Opportunity #1   
Launch: 2026-01-25 15:21:50 UTC.
Deploy: 2026-01-25 16:23:54.720 UTC.
Launch window: 2026-01-25 15:21:50 UTC to 2026-01-25 15:26:09 UTC.

Backup Launch Opportunity #2   
Launch: 2026-01-25 15:38:20 UTC.
Deploy: 2026-01-25 16:40:24.720 UTC.
Launch window: 2026-01-25 15:38:20 UTC to 2026-01-25 15:39:39 UTC.

Backup Launch Opportunity #3   
Launch: 2026-01-25 15:53:40 UTC.
Deploy: 2026-01-25 16:55:44.720 UTC.
Launch window: 2026-01-25 15:53:40 UTC to 2026-01-25 15:55:49 UTC.

Backup Launch Opportunity #4   
Launch: 2026-01-25 16:44:50 UTC.
Deploy: 2026-01-25 17:46:54.720 UTC.
Launch window: 2026-01-25 16:44:50 UTC to 2026-01-25 16:46:59 UTC.

Backup Launch Opportunity #5   
Launch: 2026-01-25 16:49:00 UTC.
Deploy: 2026-01-25 17:51:04.720 UTC.
Launch window: 2026-01-25 16:49:00 UTC to 2026-01-25 16:49:59 UTC.

Backup Launch Opportunity #6   
Launch: 2026-01-25 16:54:50 UTC.
Deploy: 2026-01-25 17:56:54.720 UTC.
Launch window: 2026-01-25 16:54:50 UTC to 2026-01-25 16:57:29 UTC.

Backup Launch Opportunity #7   
Launch: 2026-01-25 17:22:10 UTC.
Deploy: 2026-01-25 18:24:14.720 UTC.
Launch window: 2026-01-25 17:22:10 UTC to 2026-01-25 17:23:19 UTC.

Backup Launch Opportunity #8   
Launch: 2026-01-25 17:24:50 UTC.
Deploy: 2026-01-25 18:26:54.720 UTC.
Launch window: 2026-01-25 17:24:50 UTC to 2026-01-25 17:30:39 UTC.

[catdlr]

Launch Alert via Launch-Alert
11:11 AM (0 minutes ago)
to [email protected]

The following is an announcement from Vandenberg SFB:

"The U.S. Space Force has approved the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 25 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit, Sunday, January 25, 2026, between 7:01 - 11:17 a.m. PT from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4).

Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean.

A live webcast of this mission will begin about five minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch at https://www.spacex.com/launches/sl-17-20 and on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the X TV app.

There is the possibility that residents of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties may hear one or more sonic booms during the launch, but what residents experience will depend on weather and other conditions."

Weather permitting, the launch could be visible to the unaided eye from as far away as 100 statute miles.

[Bean Kenobi]

Thread for the Starlink Group 17-20 launch.

Launch 25 January 2026, at 15:38:20 UTC (7:38 am PST), from Vandenberg SLC-4E, on booster 1097-6. The first stage will attempt to land aboard Of Course I Still Love You.

Payload 24 Starlink V2.0 Mini satellites, to a 97.29 degrees inclination orbit on a southwestern trajectory.  Initial orbit 245 x 261 km.

Please use the Starlink Discussion Thread for all general discussion on Starlink.

Check the Starlink Index Thread for links to more Starlink information.


L2 SpaceX: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?board=60.0

25 satellites as of today

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Thread for the Starlink Group 17-20 launch.

Launch 25 January 2026, at 15:38:20 UTC (7:38 am PST), from Vandenberg SLC-4E, on booster 1097-6. The first stage will attempt to land aboard Of Course I Still Love You.

Payload 24 Starlink V2.0 Mini satellites, to a 97.29 degrees inclination orbit on a southwestern trajectory.  Initial orbit 245 x 261 km.

Please use the Starlink Discussion Thread for all general discussion on Starlink.

Check the Starlink Index Thread for links to more Starlink information.


L2 SpaceX: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?board=60.0

25 satellites as of today

Yeah it seems newer boosters are now tweaked well enough for that towards SSO - you can see that 17-32 using older B1071 is still only listed with 24 satellites (for now).

[catdlr]

Update:  added Alternate Pre-Launch Coverage link

Here is a consolidated post of available video links for this launch:

SpaceX's direct live broadcast on
Website:  https://www.spacex.com/launches/sl-17-20
 Twitter:  https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1MYxNlmpmZLGw

SpaceX Re-broadcast alternatives on YouTube: 
Space Affairs:  https://youtube.com/watch?v=DQxbRFJ2ins

There is no planned NSF Live coverage. Alternate Pre-Launch Coverage:  https://youtube.com/watch?v=hJviIbHNKy8

Replay supplied by The Space Devs (15 min after the broadcast end):  https://youtube.com/@thespacedevs/videos

Summary Video provided by SciNews (15 min after the broadcast ends):  https://youtube.com/@SciNewsRo/videos

[catdlr]

Launch has been moved to launch opportunity #2

Backup Launch Opportunity #2   
Launch: 2026-01-25 15:38:20 UTC.  <<<<
Deploy: 2026-01-25 16:40:24.720 UTC.
Launch window: 2026-01-25 15:38:20 UTC to 2026-01-25 15:39:39 UTC.

[raptorx2]

Thread for the Starlink Group 17-20 launch.

Launch 25 January 2026, at 15:38:20 UTC (7:38 am PST), from Vandenberg SLC-4E, on booster 1097-6. The first stage will attempt to land aboard Of Course I Still Love You.

Payload 25 Starlink V2.0 Mini satellites, to a 97.29 degrees inclination orbit on a southwestern trajectory.  Initial orbit 245 x 261 km.

Note: Previous Group 17 (Gen. 1) launches went to 97.6° @560km  .

Gen. 2 now authorized to 96.9° @ 360km (with deployment flexibility in both inclination and elevation)

[catdlr]

Weather Update before I retire for the evening.

Clouds (upper level) will prevail along the entire coast. Winds will be calm (6k). At the beginning of the launch window, it will be 40°F, increasing to 60°F by 10 a.m. Data charts attached.

[catdlr]

Delayed to opportunity #4

Backup Launch Opportunity #4   
Launch: 2026-01-25 16:44:50 UTC.   <<<<
Deploy: 2026-01-25 17:46:54.720 UTC.
Launch window: 2026-01-25 16:44:50 UTC to 2026-01-25 16:46:59 UTC.

[catdlr]

Launch delayed to Opportunity # ??

[catdlr]

Current weather and upper-level winds, satellite loop

[catdlr]

T-34 min. Countdown continues with no further delays. Propellant loading should have already begun.

[catdlr]

Last-minute satellite image from GOES-3