SpaceX Launches Classified Space Force Mission From California

SpaceX launched a classified mission for the U.S. Space Force from California’s central coast on September 10, 2026.

A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 11:42 a.m. EDT, beginning the mission designated USSF-153.

About 8.5 minutes after launch, the rocket’s first stage returned to Earth and landed in the Pacific Ocean aboard the SpaceX drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You.”

The booster, designated B1801, completed its 27th flight. SpaceX’s record for a single booster is 37 flights, set last month.

Because USSF-153 is classified, little is known about its payloads or their intended destinations. The webcast ended shortly after the first-stage landing.

The rocket’s landing location may provide clues about the mission. The mission might be carrying “a batch of classified LEO satellites for a U.S. government entity based on SpaceX’s Starshield satellite bus,” based on similarities between the stage drop zones and previous Starlink Group 15 launches.

SpaceX describes Starshield as using Starlink technology and launch capabilities to support national security efforts.

The launch was the 104th Falcon 9 mission of 2026. Eighty Falcon 9 flights this year have been dedicated to expanding the Starlink constellation, which currently has more than 11,000 active spacecraft.