SpaceX launches classified mission for the US Space Force (video)

SpaceX launched a classified mission for the U.S. Space Force from California this evening (Oct. 15).

A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base today at 8:01 p.m. EDT (5:01 p.m. local time; 0001 GMT on Oct. 16), rising into clear blue skies above the Golden State's central coast.

Such visibly striking launches are far from guaranteed; Vandenberg and its scenic surroundings are often blanketed by fog, making rocket watching in the area a dicey proposition.

a black and white rocket rests on the deck of a ship at sea — The Falcon 9's first stage rests on the deck of a drone ship shortly after launching the USSF-481 mission on Oct. 15, 2026. (Image credit: SpaceX)

This evening's launch kicked off the USSF-481 mission, which is delivering mysterious payloads to an undisclosed location in the final frontier.

SpaceX didn't provide much more info during its launch webcast; it ended just after the Falcon 9 first stage's landing, which occurred as planned about 8.5 minutes after launch on the drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You," which was stationed in the Pacific Ocean.

USSF-481 was the 28th flight for this particular booster, which is designated 1081. Sixteen of its previous 27 launches were devoted to building out SpaceX's Starlink broadband megaconstellation in low Earth orbit, according to a SpaceX mission description.

Previous Booster 1081 missions

USSF-481 was the 114th Falcon 9 mission of the year. The vast majority of the rocket's flights in 2026 — more than 70% of them — have been Starlink missions.

SpaceX has also launched its Falcon Heavy and Starship rockets three times so far this year. Falcon Heavy is an operational vehicle, but the fully reusable Starship remains in the test-flight phase. It reached orbit for the first time on its most recent launch, which occurred on Sept. 28.

Editor's note: This story was updated at 8:30 p.m. ET on Oct. 15 with news of successful launch and rocket landing.

Michael Wall is the Spaceflight and Tech Editor for Space.com and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers human and robotic spaceflight, military space, and exoplanets, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, "Out There," was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.