SpaceX set a new launch record after two Falcon 9 rockets lifted off from opposite coasts of the United States just 38 minutes apart.

The rapid-fire launches took place on Saturday, with one Falcon 9 carrying eight Globalstar satellites from Florida and another launching the classified USSF-366 mission for the US Space Force from California.

2 launches in 38 minutes

The first Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 9.12 pm EDT on Saturday (6.42 am IST on Sunday). It carried eight satellites for Louisiana-based telecommunications company Globalstar into low Earth orbit.

SpaceX said all eight satellites were successfully deployed, with the spacecraft separating over a period of about six minutes beginning roughly 56.5 minutes after liftoff.

Just 38 minutes later, another Falcon 9 launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base on California’s central coast. The rocket lifted off at 9.50 pm EDT (7.20 am IST on Sunday), carrying the classified USSF-366 mission for the US Space Force.

The two launches broke SpaceX’s previous record for the shortest gap between two orbital missions. That record was set on August 31, 2024, when two Starlink missions launched 65 minutes apart.

Classified USSF-366 mission

Details about USSF-366 remain limited because it is a national security mission. SpaceX ended its livestream shortly after the Falcon 9’s first-stage landing, as is customary for classified launches.

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Some spaceflight observers have speculated that the mission could involve classified low Earth orbit satellites for a US government agency. Next Spaceflight suggested that the payload may be linked to SpaceX’s Starshield platform, which uses modified versions of Starlink satellites for national security missions.

However, SpaceX has not disclosed the payload or its final destination.

Both Falcon 9 boosters landed successfully

Both launches also demonstrated SpaceX’s continued use of reusable Falcon 9 boosters.

The booster used for the Globalstar mission landed back at Cape Canaveral roughly eight minutes after liftoff. Saturday’s flight marked its 14th mission.

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The Falcon 9 used for USSF-366 completed its first-stage landing around 8.5 minutes after launch, touching down on SpaceX’s drone ship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean. The booster has now completed 18 missions.

Falcon 9 launches reach 96 in 2026

The two launches brought SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch tally for 2026 to 96 missions.

Starlink continues to account for the majority of these flights, making up roughly 75 per cent of the year’s Falcon 9 launches so far.

The latest doubleheader highlights SpaceX’s increasingly rapid launch cadence, with the company using multiple launch sites and reusable boosters to support commercial, communications and national security missions.