SpaceX will launch a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on April 6, 2024. (SpaceX)
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Friday evening.
The rocket lifted off at 8:14 PM PT
Friday night’s mission, dubbed NROL-186, involved the transport of a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, a government agency responsible for designing and building spy satellites for the U.S.
After the vertical launch, the Falcon gradually began to bank as it continued to climb into orbit.
After stage separation following liftoff, the Falcon’s reusable booster made a precision landing on the spaceport’s drone ship, “Of Course I Still Love You,” stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Southern California on June 28, 2024, carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, a government agency responsible for building U.S. spy satellites. (SpaceX)
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Southern California on June 28, 2024, carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, a government agency responsible for building U.S. spy satellites. (SpaceX)
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Southern California on June 28, 2024, carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, a government agency responsible for building U.S. spy satellites. (SpaceX)
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Southern California on June 28, 2024, carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, a government agency responsible for building U.S. spy satellites. (SpaceX)
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Southern California on June 28, 2024, carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, a government agency responsible for building U.S. spy satellites. (SpaceX)
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Southern California on June 28, 2024, carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, a government agency responsible for building U.S. spy satellites. (SpaceX)
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Southern California on June 28, 2024, carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, a government agency responsible for building U.S. spy satellites. (SpaceX)
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket returned to Earth and made a Pinoint landing on the Space Station drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You” in the Pacific Ocean on June 28, 2024. (SpaceX)
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket returned to Earth and made a pinpoint landing on the space station drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You” in the Pacific Ocean on June 28, 2024. (SpaceX)
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Southern California on June 28, 2024, carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, a government agency responsible for building U.S. spy satellites. (SpaceX)
The first stage booster of this particular Falcon 9 rocket has completed eight launches to date.
The booster has previously launched Crew-7, CRS-29, PACE, Transporter-10, EarthCARE and two Starlink missions.
Friday night’s launch could be seen from hundreds of miles away along the Southern California coast.
The mission was the 66th Falcon 9 flight in 2024. So far, 47 of the rocket launches have been for building SpaceX’s Starlink broadband satellite network in low Earth orbit.
