GPS III-8 launch and Falcon 9 first stage landing
Apr 21, 2026
A SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle launched the GPS III-8 mission (GPS III SV10) to medium-Earth orbit (MEO) from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, on 21 April 2026, at 06:53 UTC (02:53 EDT). Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage landed on the “Just Read the Instructions”, stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. Falcon 9’s first stage (B1095) previously supported six Starlink missions.