Before sunrise on the West Coast, SpaceX successfully launched a classified U.S. Space Force mission known as USSF-385. This marked the third military launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, in just over two weeks. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 7 a.m. PDT (10 a.m. EDT) Saturday morning.
As is typical with national-security missions, specific details regarding the payload, activities, and destination of USSF-385 have not been publicly shared. Following the launch, SpaceX ended its webcast shortly after the first-stage booster successfully landed on the droneship “Of Course I Still Love You” in the Pacific Ocean—marking the booster’s 10th flight.
USSF-385 is believed to be part of a series of launches deploying government-use Starshield satellites, although these details remain unconfirmed by the Space Force. The series of launches reflects a significant effort to enhance national-security capabilities in orbit, alongside evolving geopolitical tensions with countries like China and Russia.
