Starlink 17-35: Booster B1103 Makes Debut Flight from Vandenberg After Five Scrubs

SpaceX successfully launched Starlink Group 17-35 from SLC-4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base on April 6, 2026 at 7:50:39 p.m. PDT (02:50:39 UTC April 7). The mission carried 25 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites to sun-synchronous orbit and marked the debut flight of new booster B1103 — SpaceX's newest Falcon 9 first stage, expanding the active booster fleet. The launch came after five consecutive scrubs (March 28, March 30, April 1, April 2, April 5) due to weather and range conditions at Vandenberg. Following stage separation, B1103 executed a precision landing on drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' (OCISLY) in the Pacific Ocean, successfully completing its first recovery. The mission was SpaceX's 42nd orbital launch of 2026, pushing the all-time booster landing total to 595. The Falcon 9 rocket was visible over the Southern California sky after sunset, with observers as far as San Diego reporting a brilliant exhaust plume. With B1103's debut, SpaceX continues expanding its reusable booster fleet to sustain its ~140-launch 2026 cadence forecast.