WATCH: SpaceX Opens 2026 With Successful Starlink Launch From Cape Canaveral
By Space Coast Daily // January 4, 2026
SpaceX Begins 2026 Launch Schedule With Starlink 6-88 Mission
Watch Falcon 9 launch 29 @Starlink satellites to orbit from Florida https://t.co/n8bElvYnsL
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 4, 2026
BREVARD COUNTY • CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA – The first SpaceX launch of 2026 from Florida’s Space Coast came just days into the new year, as a Falcon 9 rocket successfully lifted off early Sunday morning carrying the Starlink 6-88 mission.
The launch took place during the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, January 4, 2026, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The rocket roared to life within its launch window, illuminating the coastline as it climbed into the sky on a southeast trajectory over the Atlantic Ocean.
Aboard the Falcon 9 were 29 Starlink satellites, part of SpaceX’s ever-growing constellation designed to provide high-speed, low-latency internet service around the world. The mission marked not only the company’s first Florida launch of the year but also the first orbital launch from the Space Coast in 2026, signaling another busy year ahead for the region’s space industry.
The Falcon 9 used for the Starlink 6-88 mission featured a brand-new first-stage booster, underscoring SpaceX’s continued production of new hardware alongside its extensive reuse program.
After completing its role in propelling the payload into orbit, the booster separated from the upper stage and performed a controlled descent back to Earth. Several minutes after liftoff, the first stage successfully touched down on a SpaceX drone ship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean, adding another recovery to the company’s long list of successful landings.
Meanwhile, the rocket’s upper stage continued its journey into low Earth orbit, where the 29 Starlink satellites were deployed as planned. Following deployment, the satellites will undergo a checkout phase and gradually maneuver into their operational orbits, where they will become part of the network delivering broadband internet coverage to users worldwide.
The early-morning launch was visible across parts of Central Florida, with residents and visitors along the Space Coast gathering to watch the rocket rise against the dark sky. For many, the mission served as a dramatic reminder that spaceflight activity remains a defining feature of life in the region.
The Starlink 6-88 mission sets the tone for what is expected to be another active year for SpaceX in Florida, with numerous Starlink missions and other launches planned from Cape Canaveral and nearby Kennedy Space Center.
As the cadence of launches continues to increase, the Space Coast remains at the forefront of America’s renewed push into space, beginning 2026 with a successful return to flight just four days into the new year.
