US Space Launch Sites Near Capacity Amid Upcoming Falcon 9 Starlink Launch

A Falcon 9 rocket will lift off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Wednesday evening, carrying 24 Starlink internet‑satellite payloads. The two‑hour launch window runs from 7:48 p.m. to 9:48 p.m. Pacific time, and after first‑stage separation the booster is slated to land on the drone ship *Of Course I Still Love You* in the Pacific. This will be the 25th flight for the Falcon 9 that previously launched missions such as Crew‑7, CRS‑29 and Transporter‑13.

A NASA Office of Inspector General report warns that the agency’s primary launch facilities – Kennedy Space Center in Florida and Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia – are approaching capacity limits. Projected launches at Kennedy could rise from 109 in 2025 to 268 by 2030, while Wallops may see 44 launches in 2030, up from 17 in 2025. The report cites aging electrical and gaseous‑nitrogen infrastructure, limited funding, and potential conflicts between new launch vehicles like SpaceX’s Starship and Blue Origin’s New Glenn. NASA estimates that upgrades could cost at least $1 billion, underscoring the urgency of expanding or modernising US launch infrastructure.