SpaceX Launches Starfall Demo, a Secretive Reentry Capsule Test From Cape Canaveral

SpaceX launched the Starfall Demo mission on June 23, 2026 at approximately 6:53 a.m. ET (10:53 UTC) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's SLC-40. The Falcon 9 rocket, using booster B1078 on its 29th flight, carried a new uncrewed reentry capsule designed to demonstrate rapid point-to-point cargo delivery from orbit.

The Falcon 9 first-stage booster B1078 successfully landed on the droneship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' in the Atlantic Ocean after launch. The booster previously flew Crew-6, SES O3b mPOWER-B, USSF-124, BlueBird 1-5, Nusantara Lima, and 23 Starlink missions.

The Starfall reentry capsule is a cylindrical vehicle approximately 0.75 meters (2.5 feet) tall with a diameter of 3.1 meters (10.2 feet), weighing about 2,100 kilograms (4,600 pounds) empty. It can carry up to 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds) of payload for a total weight of 3,100 kilograms (6,800 pounds).

According to the FAA environmental assessment, Starfall is designed to "enable point-to-point delivery of critical cargo through space on rapid timelines" and support "a self-sustaining commercial in-space manufacturing market." The two-part capsule separates into a 1,400 kg aluminum top plate and a 700 kg carbon-fiber heat shield after reentry.

SpaceX has not confirmed whether the Starfall capsule successfully separated, operated in orbit, or splashed down as planned. The next milestone is any official update from SpaceX on the capsule's performance during the demo mission.