SpaceX launches secret U.S. Space Force mission from California

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California carrying a classified payload for the U.S. Space Force. The flight, designated as the USSF-432 mission, launched from pad 4E and followed a south-easterly trajectory. The launch faced several prior delays, including schedule adjustments related to other company missions and unspecified reasons.

Classified Payload and Series

Public documents identify the mission as R-4, following a series of similar secret flights that began earlier in the year. Orbital catalog entries suggest each of these launches deploys a group of satellites. Experts tracking space activity believe these spacecraft belong to a Space Based Sensing and Targeting program and utilize a government variant of standard commercial internet satellites.

Booster Recovery

The rocket’s first stage booster completed its eighth flight by landing on an autonomous drone ship stationed in the Pacific Ocean. This particular booster previously flew exclusively from launch sites on the East Coast before transferring across the country. SpaceX currently handles a large volume of its recent rocket flights from the California base while shifting focus at its Florida facilities.