Starlink Group 17-46

About this mission

Starlink Group 17-46 lifted off on July 2, 2026 (29 days ago) on a Falcon 9 Block 5 from Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA, adding 24 Starlink satellites to SpaceX's broadband constellation.

Flying from Vandenberg Space Force Base on the California coast, the rocket headed out over the Pacific — the trajectory SpaceX uses for Starlink's higher-inclination and polar shells, which extend coverage toward far northern and southern latitudes.

Starlink satellites are released about 15 minutes after liftoff into a low ~280 km parking orbit, stacked flat like dealt cards. Each satellite then runs health checks, unfolds its single solar array and begins a weeks-long climb on its ion thruster to the operational shell around 550 km. Satellites that fail checkout stay low and re-enter within months by design — the low insertion orbit is Starlink's built-in debris safeguard.

The satellites from Starlink Group 17-46 have long since spread out along their orbital plane, so they now appear as ordinary individual Starlink passes rather than a train. You can still spot them: each one is trackable live on this site, and the brightest passes over your location are listed on the city pass pages.

Frequently asked questions

Can I still see the Starlink train from Starlink Group 17-46?

Probably not as a train — after about three weeks the satellites disperse along their orbit. They're still visible as individual Starlink passes; check your city's pass page for tonight's times.

How many satellites did Starlink Group 17-46 carry?

24 Starlink satellites, riding to orbit stacked flat inside the Falcon 9 Block 5 fairing and released in one go about 15 minutes after liftoff.

Where did Starlink Group 17-46 launch from?

Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA. West-coast launches serve Starlink's higher-inclination shells, which cover far northern and southern latitudes.