SpaceX set a new company record Saturday evening, launching two Falcon 9 rockets from opposite coasts of the United States just 38 minutes and 31 seconds apart, the shortest gap between orbital launches in the company's history.

The first liftoff occurred at 9:12 p.m. Eastern time from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, carrying eight satellites into low Earth orbit for Louisiana-based telecommunications company Globalstar as part of a mission known as Globalstar 2-R. SpaceX confirmed via social media that all eight spacecraft were deployed successfully, separating from the rocket's upper stage over a six-minute span beginning roughly 56.5 minutes after launch.

Teams complete back-to-back Falcon 9 launches from Florida and California pic.twitter.com/6L4dyPAmXz— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 16, 2026

Teams complete back-to-back Falcon 9 launches from Florida and California pic.twitter.com/6L4dyPAmXz

While that first rocket was still making its way toward orbit, a second Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base on California's central coast at 9:50 p.m. Eastern time, or 6:50 p.m. local time. That launch carried a classified payload for the U.S. Space Force under a mission designated USSF-366.

Saturday's 38-minute, 31-second turnaround broke........

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