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← Signal: Classified

SpaceX to launch classified US Space Force mission from California

Confirmed1 source · Oct 15, 2026

A Falcon 9 rocket will lift off from Vandenberg Space Force Base on October 15 carrying undisclosed payloads to an unspecified orbital destination for the U.S. Space Force.

SpaceX to launch classified US Space Force mission from California
Image via Space.com

What happened

SpaceX is scheduled to launch a classified mission designated USSF-481 on October 15, 2024, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California during a four-hour window opening at 7:44 p.m. EDT (4:44 p.m. local time). A Falcon 9 rocket will deliver mysterious payloads to an undisclosed location in orbit. The mission will mark the 28th flight for booster 1081, which has previously completed 27 launches including 16 Starlink missions. The first-stage booster is expected to land on the drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You" in the Pacific Ocean approximately eight minutes after launch.

Context

USSF-481 will be SpaceX's 114th Falcon 9 mission in 2024, continuing the company's high launch cadence. According to Space.com, the vast majority of SpaceX's 2024 flights—more than 70%—have been Starlink missions, with additional missions supporting government, commercial, and research payloads. The booster's extensive flight history demonstrates the reusability economics central to SpaceX's operational model. Details about the classified payload and its destination will not be disclosed during the webcast, which will end shortly after the booster landing.