SpaceX Successfully Deploys 21 Starlink Satellites, Loses Falcon 9 Booster

A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 21 starlink satellites was launched by SpaceX on 2 March from Cape Canveral Space Force Station. The liftoff took place on March 3 at 9:24 pm on ET, with 13 satellites equipped with direct-to-cell capabilities with missions. The first stage of the rocket was successfully landed on the droneship “Just Reed the Instruction” posted about 400 km from the coast of Florida. However, the booster, designated B1086, was lost immediately after landing due to continuous damage by one of its landing legs.

Damage of booster after landing

According to SpaceX, a fire broke out at the back end of the booster, resulting in structural damage, leading to its collapse. The incident occurred after the rocket returned to Earth and contacting the landing platform. SpaceX’s official mission description states that this failure data will be examined to improve the credibility of future Falcon 9 missions.

Mission Details and Starlink Extension

The deployment of 21 satellites took place about 65 minutes after the launch, with another step in the expansion of the Starlink Nakshatra of SpaceX. More than 7,000 operating Starlink satellites are currently in orbit, contributing to global broadband coverage.

The launch marked the fifth and final flight of Falcon 9 Booster. B1086 was used for the first three Starlink missions as well as Go-U and Maxu 3 missions. SpaceX has completed 26 Falcon 9 missions in 2025, dedicated to 19 Starlinks. The company continues to pursue its satellite network despite the loss of boosters in this mission.