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SpaceXFalcon 9 Block 5Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

USSF-366

Launched

August 16, 2026 · 01:50 UTC

Launch SuccessfulWeather 90% go

Image: SpaceX

Summary

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Block 5 launched USSF-366, a classified mission for the United States Space Force. The successful flight likely deployed a batch of Starshield-based satellites, based on stage drop zones matching previous Starlink Group 15 launches.

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Vehicle
Falcon 9 Block 5 · SpaceX
Booster
  • B1088 · flight 18 · Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship at Of Course I Still Love You · landed230/238 landed here · 48 days after its previous flight, Starlink Group 17-40 · 574 km downrange
Mission
Government/Top Secret · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)for USSF
Milestone
622nd Falcon 9 Block 5 flight · 96th this yearSpaceX's 718th launch99th this yearhumanity's 7,366th orbital launch attempt193rd orbital launch attempt this year

Flight preview

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Orbit: representative

LEOOrbit
34.6°Inclination
90°Launch azimuth

Target from padside's flight model. Not a catalogued object; this panel switches to the tracked orbit once the object is catalogued. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile. Booster return drawn from padside's representative arc.

Flight timeline

19 steps, T−38 min to T+8 min 20 s
  1. T−38MGO for Prop Load
  2. T−35MProp Load
  3. T−35MStage 1 LOX Load
  4. T−16MStage 2 LOX Load
  5. T−7MEngine Chill
  6. T−1MStartup
  7. T−1MTank Press
  8. T−45SGO for Launch
  9. T−3SIgnition
  10. T−0Liftoff
  11. T+1M7SMax-Q
  12. T+2M25SMECO
  13. T+2M29SStage 2 Separation
  14. T+2M36SSES-1
  15. T+2M58SFairing Separation
  16. T+6M1SEntry Burn Startup
  17. T+6M25SEntry Burn Shutdown
  18. T+7M58SStage 1 Landing Burn
  19. T+8M20SStage 1 Landing

About this launch

USSF-366 launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 from Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on August 16, 2026 at 01:50 UTC. The launch window ran from 21:52 to 01:52 UTC. It was SpaceX's 718th launch, 99th this year and humanity's 7,366th orbital launch attempt. It was the 622nd Falcon 9 Block 5 flight and the 96th this year. Booster B1088 flew for the 18th time and landed at Of Course I Still Love You. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO).

USSF-366 is a classified mission for the United States Space Force. It is possibly a batch of classified LEO satellites based on SpaceX’s Starshield satellite bus, based on locations of rocket stage drop zones being exact fits with previous Starlink Group 15 launches.

Official page: SpaceX

News

1 story

Airspace and maritime notices

1 notice filed by the US Coast Guard

  • Sector San Diego, Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)/Space Operations/Hazardous Warning Area/Commercial (Hazardous) · Expired

    Matched by proximity to the pad · Source

Pad

Map of Space Launch Complex 4E

Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

290th launch from Space Launch Complex 4E, 52nd this year · 906th from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Local pad time at liftoff: Aug 15, 6:50 PM PDT, in daylight

303 launches from this pad · 919 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

3 days 21 hours after the previous launch from this pad

All launches from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USAOpen in maps

Updates

Launch success.

Cosmic_Penguin · Aug 16, 2026 · source

Show 8 earlier updates

  • Spacecraft separation.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 8/16/2026 · source

  • Liftoff.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 8/16/2026 · source

  • Unofficial Re-stream by SPACE AFFAIRS has started

    LL2 · 8/16/2026 · source

  • Now targeting Aug 16 at 01:50 UTC

    Cosmic_Penguin · 8/15/2026 · source

  • Now targeting Aug 15 at 23:47 UTC

    Cosmic_Penguin · 8/15/2026 · source

  • Now targeting Aug 15 at 21:54 UTC

    hitura-nobad · 8/15/2026 · source

  • GO for launch.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 8/10/2026 · source

  • Added launch per NOTAMs; Payload identities very uncertain.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 8/6/2026 · source

Questions

When did USSF-366 launch?

USSF-366 launched on August 16, 2026 at 01:50 UTC. The launch window ran from 21:52 to 01:52 UTC.

Where can I watch USSF-366?

Coverage: SpaceX USSF-366; Live: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches secretive mission for U.S. Space Force; SpaceX Launches TWO Falcon 9s with Globalstar 2-R Mission 1 & USSF-366. Watch the replay

What rocket launched USSF-366?

Falcon 9 Block 5, flown by SpaceX. Falcon 9 Block 5 spec sheet

Where did USSF-366 launch from?

Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA. Liftoff was Aug 15, 6:50 PM PDT local time at the pad.

Did the booster land?

Booster B1088 flew for the 18th time and landed at Of Course I Still Love You.

What orbit was USSF-366 going to?

Low Earth Orbit (LEO), a government/top secret mission.