SpaceX lifts off secret military payload from Vandenberg on Falcon 9
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Saturday morning, carrying an undisclosed payload for the U.S. Space Force.
The rocket took off at 7 a.m. PDT from Space Launch Complex 4-East and headed southward. It was the tenth flight of booster B1096, which later returned to the Pacific drone ship Of Course I Still Love You. The mission, designated USSF-385, is thought to be the third in a series deploying government-version Starlink satellites known as Starshield. The customer requested that details of the payload and second stage remain hidden.
Why it matters
The launch shows ongoing U.S. military reliance on commercial launch services for secret satellite deployments.
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SpaceXFalcon 9VandenbergUSSF-385Starshieldmilitary satellitedrone shipsecret payloadlaunch
