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Mission
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.
Falcon 9 will launch USSF-266 from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, about 574 km downrange.
Mission briefing from SpaceX
SpaceX is targeting Monday, November 16 for a Falcon 9 launch of the USSF-266 mission from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The four-hour launch window opens at 9:07 a.m. PT. If needed, there is a backup opportunity on Tuesday, November 17 at 8:58 a.m. PT.
A live webcast of the USSF-266 mission will begin about 10 minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX.
This will be the 29th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-7, CRS-29, PACE, Transporter-10, EarthCARE, NROL-186, Transporter-13, TRACERS, NROL-48, COSMO-SkyMED Second Generation FM3, USSF-153, USSF-481, and 16 Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
There is the possibility that residents of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties may hear one or more sonic booms during the launch, but what residents experience will depend on weather and other conditions.
- Liftoff
- 08:58 PST at the pad
- Window
- – 4 h
- Rocket
- Falcon 9 Block 5SpaceX
- Destination
- Polar Orbit
- Launch site
- Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg, California72nd launch from this pad in 20263 days after the last
- Sonic boom
- There is the possibility that residents of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties may hear one or more sonic booms during the launch, but what residents experience will depend on weather and other conditions.
- Latest update
- Now targeting Nov 17 at 16:58 UTC
29th
Flight of B1081
574km
Downrange landing, OCISLY
129th
SpaceX launch of 2026
33days
Since B1081’s last flight
Countdown
All times approximate, in your time zone (CET)Timeline: SpaceX
- T minus 38 minutesSpaceX Launch Director verifies go for propellant load
- T minus 35 minutesRP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading begins
- T minus 35 minutes1st stage LOX (liquid oxygen) loading begins
- T minus 16 minutes2nd stage LOX loading begins
- T minus 7 minutesFalcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch
- T minus 1 minuteCommand flight computer to begin final prelaunch checks
- T minus 1 minutePropellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins
- T minus 45 secondsSpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch
- T minus 3 secondsEngine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start
- T minus 0 secondsFalcon 9 liftoff
Flight
From liftoff to orbit
- SLC-4E
- OCISLY574 km downrange
- LiftoffT+00:00:00
- Max QT+00:01:07
- Stage separationT+00:02:29
- FairingT+00:02:56
- LandingT+00:08:23
- SLC-4E
- OCISLY574 km downrange
- LiftoffT+00:00:00
- Stage separationT+00:02:29
- LandingT+00:08:23
- SLC-4E
- OCISLY574 km downrange
- LiftoffT+00:00:00
- Max QT+00:01:07
- Stage separationT+00:02:29
- FairingT+00:02:56
- LandingT+00:08:23
8 min from liftoffin your time zone (CET)
- T plus 1 minute 7 secondsMax Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)
- T plus 2 minutes 26 seconds1st stage main engine cutoff (MECO)
- T plus 2 minutes 29 seconds1st and 2nd stages separate
- T plus 2 minutes 36 seconds2nd stage engine starts (SES-1)
- T plus 2 minutes 56 secondsFairing separation, 2nd stage
- T plus 6 minutes 3 seconds1st stage entry burn begins
- T plus 6 minutes 27 seconds1st stage entry burn ends
- T plus 8 minutes 1 second1st stage landing burn begins
- T plus 8 minutes 23 seconds1st stage landing
Falcon 9 Block 5
SpaceXReusable645 launches since May 2018, 644 successful
Drag or use the arrow keys to turn it. Home resets the view.
- BoosterB1081most recently launched USSF-481
About Falcon 9 Block 5
Falcon 9 is a two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of satellites and the Dragon spacecraft into orbit. The Block 5 variant is the fifth major interval aimed at improving upon the ability for rapid reusability.
70m
Height
3.7m
Diameter
549t
Mass at liftoff
7.6MN
Thrust at liftoff
23t
Payload to low Earth orbit
8.3t
Payload to geostationary transfer orbit
Orbit estimated from CelesTrak’s elementsMeasured trackSpaceX’s predicted path
In orbit now
The crewed stations and Hubble, once around the Earth every 92 to 94 minutes
| Spacecraft | Altitude | Speed |
|---|---|---|
| ISSDocked: Soyuz MS-29, Crew-13In Earth’s shadow | 424km | 27,577km/h |
| TiangongDocked: Shenzhou-23In Earth’s shadow | 392km | 27,638km/h |
| Shenzhou-23In Earth’s shadow | 392km | 27,638km/h |
| Soyuz MS-29In Earth’s shadow | 424km | 27,577km/h |
| Crew-13In Earth’s shadow | 424km | 27,577km/h |
| HubbleIn sunlight | 468km | 27,493km/h |
Estimated for from CelesTrak’s orbital elements, up to 27 h old.
