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

USSF-481

Launched

October 16, 2026 · 00:01 UTC

Launch Successful

Image: SpaceX

Summary

SpaceX's Falcon 9 Block 5 successfully inserted a classified payload for the United States Space Force on the USSF-481 mission, a launch that appears consistent with previous Space Development Agency transport layer deployments.

Watch
Vehicle
Falcon 9 Block 5 · SpaceX
Booster
  • B1081 · flight 28 · Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship at Of Course I Still Love You · landed230/238 landed here · 35 days after its previous flight, USSF-153 · 574 km downrange
Mission
Government/Top Secret · Polar Orbit (PO)for USSF
Milestone
640th Falcon 9 Block 5 flight · 114th this yearSpaceX's 739th launch120th this yearhumanity's 7,416th orbital launch attempt243rd orbital launch attempt this year

Flight preview

Orbit: representative

POOrbit
90.0°Inclination
180°Launch azimuth

Target site default for this orbit type. 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 9 s
  1. T−38MGO for Prop Load
  2. T−35MStage 1 LOX Load
  3. T−35MProp Load
  4. T−16MStage 2 LOX Load
  5. T−7MEngine Chill
  6. T−1MTank Press
  7. T−1MStartup
  8. T−45SGO for Launch
  9. T−3SIgnition
  10. T−0Liftoff
  11. T+1M7SMax-Q
  12. T+2M26SMECO
  13. T+2M29SStage 2 Separation
  14. T+2M36SSES-1
  15. T+3M1SFairing Separation
  16. T+6M1SEntry Burn Startup
  17. T+6M24SEntry Burn Shutdown
  18. T+8MStage 1 Landing Burn
  19. T+8M9SStage 1 Landing

About this launch

USSF-481 launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 from Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on October 16, 2026 at 00:01 UTC. The launch window ran from 23:44 to 03:44 UTC. It was SpaceX's 739th launch, 120th this year and humanity's 7,416th orbital launch attempt. It was the 640th Falcon 9 Block 5 flight and the 114th this year. Booster B1081 flew for the 28th time and landed at Of Course I Still Love You. The payload was bound for Polar Orbit (PO).

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 ascent rocket stage drop zones being fits with previous SDA Transport Layer launches.

Official page: SpaceX

News

1 story

Airspace and maritime notices

Closure posted · 2 notices filed by the US Coast Guard

  • US Coast Guard marine safety information · 2 noticesMatched by proximity to the pad
    • Sector Los Angeles, Territorial Sea/Space Operations/Hazardous Warning Area/Government Supported (Hazardous)

      Source

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

      Source

Pad

Map of Space Launch Complex 4E

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

303rd launch from Space Launch Complex 4E, 65th this year · 919th from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Local pad time at liftoff: Oct 15, 5:01 PM PDT, in daylight

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

2 days 23 hours after the previous launch from this pad

All launches from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USAOpen in maps

Updates

Launch success.

Cosmic_Penguin · Oct 16, 2026 · source

Show 6 earlier updates

  • Liftoff.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 10/16/2026 · source

  • Unofficial Re-stream by SPACE AFFAIRS has started

    LL2 · 10/15/2026 · source

  • Now targeting Oct 16 at 00:01 UTC

    Cosmic_Penguin · 10/15/2026 · source

  • Now targeting Oct 15 at 23:57 UTC

    hitura-nobad · 10/15/2026 · source

  • GO for launch.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 10/8/2026 · source

  • Added launch per marine navigation warnings.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 10/6/2026 · source

Questions

When did USSF-481 launch?

USSF-481 launched on October 16, 2026 at 00:01 UTC. The launch window ran from 23:44 to 03:44 UTC.

Where can I watch USSF-481?

Coverage: SpaceX USSF-481; SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches from California on classified U.S. Space Force mission; USSF-481 Mission. Watch the replay

What rocket launched USSF-481?

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

Where did USSF-481 launch from?

Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA. Liftoff was Oct 15, 5:01 PM PDT local time at the pad.

Did the booster land?

Booster B1081 flew for the 28th time and landed at Of Course I Still Love You.

What orbit was USSF-481 going to?

Polar Orbit (PO), a government/top secret mission.