Falcon 9 SpaceX launches classified payload for the U.S. Space Force September 9, 2026 Will Robinson-Smith The mission, dubbed USSF-153 mission, launched an undisclosed number of satellites for the U.S. Space Force. Liftoff from pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base happened at 8:42 a.m. PDT (1142 a.m. EDT / 1542 UTC).