SpaceX launches 21 military data transport satellites for the U.S. Space Force from California.
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 21 data transport satellites for the U.S. Space Force from California on October 10.
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 21 data transport satellites for the U.S. Space Force from California on October 10. The mission lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 3:39 a.m. Eastern time, following a five-day delay caused by a countdown abort on October 5 for undisclosed reasons. The 21 spacecraft will support the Space Development Agency's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, a low Earth orbit network designed for global military communications and missile tracking.
This launch is the fourth of nine missions dedicated to assembling Tranche 1, which will ultimately comprise 154 operational satellites. Northrop Grumman, the satellite builder, confirmed the spacecraft deployed successfully to provide secure communications. The Falcon 9 first-stage booster returned to Vandenberg for a landing about seven minutes after liftoff. Designated booster 1103, it marked the sixth flight for this specific hardware.
SpaceX ended its live broadcast shortly after the booster touchdown at the request of the Space Development Agency, a standard procedure for national security flights.
The story so far
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Original publication: 10 October 2026 13:33
