CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida — SpaceX is scheduled to launch a Falcon 9 rocket carrying Starlink internet satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Sunday, continuing the company's high-frequency deployment schedule for 2026. The mission will lift off from Space Launch Complex 40, with the Falcon 9 first-stage booster expected to land on a droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.

SpaceX has reused boosters across dozens of flights, a practice central to its low-cost launch model. The company confirmed the launch window in advisories published ahead of the flight.

Starlink now provides broadband service to millions of customers across more than 100 countries. The constellation has grown to roughly 8,000 operational satellites in low Earth orbit, making it the largest fleet ever deployed. Each launch typically adds around two dozen of the upgraded V2 Mini spacecraft.

The continued expansion has drawn scrutiny from astronomers at the International Astronomical Union, who have warned about light pollution and radio interference affecting ground-based observations. SpaceX has said it is working to reduce satellite brightness through darkening coatings and adjusted orbital orientations.

The Sunday flight underscores SpaceX's dominance of the global launch market, where the company has accounted for the majority of orbital missions worldwide in 2026. Competitors including Amazon's Project Kuiper and Europe's Ariane programme continue efforts to close the gap.