Watch SpaceX launch classified mission for the US Space Force today

SpaceX will carry out a top-secret mission for the U.S. Space Force today (September 10), and enthusiasts can watch the event live online. A Falcon 9 rocket is set to blast off from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base, within a three-hour window beginning at 11:37 a.m. EDT (1537 GMT; 8:37 a.m. local time). The mission, designated USSF-153, remains classified, leaving details about its payload and destination shrouded in mystery.

The live webcast of the launch is expected to commence approximately 10 minutes prior to liftoff. Following the Falcon 9's first stage return to Earth, the booster will touch down in the Pacific Ocean atop a SpaceX drone ship, roughly 8.5 minutes after launch. However, the touchdown location could offer clues about the mission's purpose, according to NextSpaceflight.com.

The mission might be carrying a batch of classified low Earth orbit satellites, potentially belonging to a U.S. government agency, based on SpaceX's Starshield satellite bus, as indicated by the precise alignment of rocket stage drop zones with previous Starlink Group 15 launches. Starlink, SpaceX's constellation of low Earth orbit broadband satellites, is the basis for the Starshield program.

According to SpaceX, Starshield utilizes SpaceX's Starlink technology and launch capabilities to support national security endeavors. This launch will mark the 104th Falcon 9 mission in 2026, with 80 of the rocket's flights this year dedicated to expanding the Starlink megaconstellation, which currently comprises over 11,000 active spacecraft.

The particular Falcon 9's first stage will embark on its 27th flight, surpassing the previous record of 37 flights, achieved during a Starlink launch last month.