SpaceX logs record 38-minute gap between Falcon 9 launches

SpaceX launched two Falcon 9 rockets less than 40 minutes apart on Saturday evening, establishing a new company record for the shortest gap between missions as the first vehicle lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 9:12 pm EDT carrying eight Globalstar satellites to replenish the firm's low Earth orbit constellation.

Record-setting turnaround

The Falcon 9 first-stage booster, designated B1090, completed its 14th flight and touched down at Landing Zone 40 approximately eight minutes after liftoff, according to Spaceflight Now. Exactly 38.5 minutes later, a second Falcon 9 launched the classified USSF-366 mission for the US Space Force from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 9:50 pm EDT.

The Space Force did not disclose details of the payload, stating: "The mission was assigned under a previously awarded [National Security Space Launch] Phase 3 Lane 1 task order." The mission's B1088 booster landed on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean, marking the 650th Falcon booster landing since the program began.

Satellite operator awaits Amazon deal

The Globalstar launch, originally scheduled for May 17, was delayed to allow additional time for satellite preparation, officials said. Globalstar Chief Executive Paul E. Jacobs said the deployment represented "another important step in sustaining and strengthening the infrastructure our customers rely on every day," adding that the replenishment ensures continuity for the company's satellite communications services.

The mission comes as Globalstar awaits regulatory approval for its planned acquisition by Amazon, a transaction announced earlier this year and expected to close in 2027 to support the tech giant's Project Kuiper direct-to-device satellite services. Globalstar indicated on Aug. 6 that it would suspend further earnings calls and updates to forward-looking guidance while the transaction remains pending, citing regulatory quiet periods associated with the merger review.