SpaceX prepares secretive USSF-366 Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg
SpaceX will attempt a classified USSF-366 mission on a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base Saturday night, with a backup slot on Sunday.
SpaceX is scheduled to launch a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Lompoc, California, at 6:50 p.m. on Saturday for the classified USSF-366 mission. Details about the cargo are scarce, though spaceflight sources suggest it could be a batch of military satellites destined for low-Earth orbit. The launch will be streamed online beginning roughly ten minutes before liftoff, despite the mission’s secrecy.
Should the Saturday attempt be scrubbed, a backup launch is planned for Sunday at 2:38 p.m. After delivering the payload, the first stage will try to land on SpaceX’s drone ship, Of Course I Still Love You, enabling reuse of the booster. Residents in nearby counties may hear one or more sonic booms, depending on weather conditions.
Why it matters
The launch demonstrates SpaceX’s role in deploying classified military assets, highlighting the growing partnership between commercial rockets and the US Space Force.
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