8 November 2026Launches

Falcon 9 set to launch USSF-432 for U.S. Space Force from Vandenberg after delays

SpaceX will launch a classified U.S. Space Force mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base after repeated delays.

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A Falcon 9 rocket launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base. — A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the USSF-432 national security mission ascends after launching from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. U.S. Space Force photo by Airman Chrissy Shannon via Wikimedia Commons

SpaceX will launch another batch of satellites for a clandestine U.S. Space Force program from pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base at 4:48 p.m. PST (0048 UTC). The flight was originally set for Nov. 1 and slipped, first because of Starlink 15-18 delays and then for undisclosed reasons.

This is another SpaceX launch for a classified U.S. Space Force program, with the mission designated USSF-432 (also identified as R-4). The R series of missions began on Aug. 16 with USSF-366, followed by USSF-153 (R-2) on Sept. 10 and USSF-385 (R3) on Sept. 26. Each R launch has placed 23 satellites in orbit, thought to be based on SpaceX’s Starshield platform.

Sourcespaceflightnow.com

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