USSF-xxx ("R-5")

Mon, Nov 9 · 10:03 PM ET (provisional)Provisional

Mission brief

What is happening

SpaceX is launching USSF-xxx ("R-5") on a Falcon 9 Block 5 from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA. It is a classified government mission heading to Low Earth Orbit. The first stage will attempt a droneship at sea.

Why it matters

Details of classified national security payloads are withheld, so the mission profile is usually only partly published and coverage often ends early.

What stands out

Classified payload

At a glance

Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Payload: USSF-xxx ("R-5")
Mission type: Government/Top Secret
Rocket: Falcon 9 Block 5
Provider: SpaceX
Landing: Droneship at sea
Launch site: Space Launch Complex 4E

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.

What changed

Every change to this schedule, logged as it happened. Most trackers only ever show you today's date.

OCT 28 · 6:57 PM UTC
Added launch.
Launch Library note·Source

RocketRune has been tracking this launch since it entered the schedule.

Schedule confidence

MEDIUM

The date is reasonable but not settled.

Why does RocketRune rate it this way?

Launch time published to the minute.
The date is published but not yet confirmed by the provider.
An official launch window has been published.
No schedule changes recorded since RocketRune began tracking this launch.

This is a RocketRune assessment of how firm the published schedule is, not a prediction of launch success. It is calculated from the date precision and status published by the launch provider, plus the schedule changes RocketRune has recorded for this mission.

Where you can see it

BEST NEARBY VIEW

Lompoc

Excellent · Look almost straight up

Nearly overhead, 85° above your horizon
Night launch, no lit plume but maximum contrast
9 miles to the pad, west

City	Distance	Look	Elevation
LompocCalifornia	9 mi	overhead	85°
Santa BarbaraCalifornia	54 mi	west-northwest	59°
BakersfieldCalifornia	104 mi	west-southwest	41°
Los AngelesCalifornia	141 mi	west-northwest	32°
San DiegoCalifornia	239 mi	northwest	19°

Direction and elevation are calculated from the pad position and the published launch time. Cloud cover is not included here because a forecast changes faster than this page updates. The live tracker scores the sky over your own location.

Launch site: Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Vehicle: Falcon 9 Block 5
Provider: SpaceX
Orbit: LEO
Payload: USSF-xxx ("R-5")
Status: To Be Confirmed
Landing: Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship
Vehicle height: 70 m
Liftoff thrust: 7,607 kN
Vehicle type flights: 643
Vehicle type success rate: 99.8%

Can you see this launch from where you are?

RocketRune works out the direction to look, how high the rocket will sit in your sky, the cloud forecast over you and whether the plume will be lit, then scores it out of 100.

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