# SpaceX Starlink Launches and Blue Origin's Historic New Glenn Reuse Headline Packed Week > Track this week's orbital missions, featuring three SpaceX Starlink launches and Blue Origin's historic first reuse of a New Glenn booster for cellular broadband. - Canonical URL: https://coreiten.com/en/article/spacex-starlink-launches-and-blue-origins-historic-new-glenn-reuse-headline-packed-week - Language: en - Section: Telecom - Author: Sami - Published: 2026-04-14T00:01:10+03:00 - Modified: 2026-04-14T00:01:10+03:00 - Publisher: CoreITen (https://coreiten.com) - Keywords: SpaceX Starlink launches, Blue Origin New Glenn, BlueBird Block 2 FM2, Falcon 9 booster reuse, satellite broadband, Vandenberg Space Force Base --- Three upcoming **SpaceX Starlink launches** and Blue Origin’s first-ever attempt to fly a reused New Glenn booster headline a packed week of six orbital missions. For telecommunications watchers and satellite internet users, this rapid launch cadence directly translates to expanded low-Earth orbit (LEO) broadband capacity and direct-to-cell connectivity. The integration of previously flown boosters across multiple companies underscores a maturing space economy where rapid reusability is the baseline for deploying massive satellite constellations. ### Blue Origin’s Historic New Glenn Reuse On Friday, April 17, Blue Origin will launch its partially reusable New Glenn rocket from Launch Complex 36 (LC-36) at Cape Canaveral. This mission marks a major technical milestone: the first reuse of a New Glenn first-stage booster. The booster, designated GS1-SN002 and named *Never Tell Me The Odds*, previously flew on New Glenn’s second mission in November 2025. Following stage separation, the booster will attempt a landing on the recovery platform *Jacklyn*, stationed downrange in the Atlantic Ocean. The payload is a 6,100 kg BlueBird Block 2 FM2 satellite, also known as BlueBird 7. This massive satellite will join a growing constellation designed to provide cellular broadband services directly to mobile devices across the United States. ### SpaceX Starlink Expansion SpaceX is executing three separate Falcon 9 missions to deploy a total of 79 Starlink satellites. The first mission, Starlink Group 10-24, lifts off on April 14 from Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida, carrying 29 satellites. It utilizes booster B1080, making its 25th flight before landing on the *Just Read The Instructions* droneship. Operations then shift to Vandenberg Space Force Base in California for Starlink Group 17-27 later on April 14. Booster B1082 will fly for the 21st time to deliver 25 satellites, landing on the droneship *Of Course I Still Love You*. A third mission, Starlink Group 17-22, concludes the week on April 18, with booster B1097 making its eighth flight to loft another 25 satellites. If schedules hold, this will mark the 630th Falcon 9 mission to date. ### Other Notable Updates - **Lijian-1:** A Chinese commercial launch is scheduled for April 14 from the Jiuquan Launch Center, utilizing a four-stage solid-propellant rocket to deploy an unknown payload. - **Chang Zheng 2D:** Launching on April 17 from Jiuquan, this two-stage rocket utilizing hypergolic propellants will fly a southern trajectory with an undisclosed payload. ### The Future of LEO Telecommunications The simultaneous deployment of Starlink and BlueBird satellites highlights a critical shift in the telecommunications sector. Companies are no longer just launching experimental hardware; they are actively building out massive, high-bandwidth LEO networks that bypass traditional ground infrastructure. Blue Origin's deployment of the 6,100 kg BlueBird satellite specifically targets the lucrative direct-to-cell broadband market, directly challenging SpaceX's own cellular Starlink ambitions. Furthermore, Blue Origin's successful reuse of the *Never Tell Me The Odds* booster will validate their operational economics, proving they can compete with the Falcon 9's relentless cadence. With SpaceX aiming for its 90th orbital launch attempt of the year by mid-April, the barrier to entry for space-based ISPs has never been lower. This rapid deployment promises consumers more robust global connectivity and will continue driving down the cost per gigabyte of satellite data. ## Sources - [nasaspaceflight.com](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2026/04/launch-preview-041326/) ## Related topics - [satellite broadband](https://coreiten.com/en/topic/satellite-broadband)