Starlink 17-14 Launches from Vandenberg — B1100 8th Flight on OCISLY; SpaceX's 50th Orbital Launch of 2026

SpaceX launched Starlink Group 17-14 from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, in the early hours of April 22, 2026 (UTC), carrying 25 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites to a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). Falcon 9 first stage B1100, flying its eighth mission, executed a nominal booster separation and landing on drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' (OCISLY) in the Pacific Ocean. SSO Starlink satellites provide coverage at high latitudes — supplementing the standard mid-inclination shells and extending reliable service to polar and near-polar regions critical for shipping lanes, Arctic research operations, and remote communities at high latitudes. The launch follows closely on the heels of two milestone events: the GPS III SV-10 launch earlier in the day (April 21 EDT, April 21-22 UTC) and the prior week's historic 600th Falcon booster landing. This mission was also cleared for launch after range and weather checks were satisfied, as reported by Santa Maria Times. The launch represented SpaceX's 50th orbital mission of 2026, sustaining the company's breakneck launch cadence as it continues stacking Booster 19 and Ship 39 in preparation for Starship's IFT-12 integrated flight test targeting May 2026.