SpaceX is slated to launch a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Lompoc, California, Saturday night on a top-secret military mission designated USSF-366. The launch is scheduled for 6:50 p.m. Pacific time. If weather or technical issues cause a scrub, a backup launch is scheduled for Sunday at 2:38 p.m.
Details regarding the payload and the specific objectives of the mission remain classified. However, several spaceflight publications suggest the mission could involve deploying a cluster of military satellites into low-Earth orbit. SpaceX confirmed late this week that it would serve as the launch provider for the U.S. Space Force.
Despite the secretive nature of the payload, SpaceX intends to livestream the launch event, with coverage beginning approximately 10 minutes prior to liftoff. The 230-foot Falcon 9 rocket will carry its mysterious cargo into space, after which its booster is expected to attempt a landing on SpaceX’s autonomous spaceport drone ship, ‘Of Course I Still Love You,’ positioned in the Pacific Ocean. This recovery method allows SpaceX to reuse the booster for subsequent missions.
Residents in surrounding counties may experience one or more sonic booms during the launch, with the audibility depending on atmospheric conditions.
