SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Station in California on Friday evening.
The rocket lifted off at 8:14 p.m. PDT.
Friday night’s mission, called NROL-186, involved transporting payload for the rover national reconnaissance office, A government agency responsible for designing and building spy satellites for the United States.
After being released vertically, the Falcon gradually began to rotate while continuing to climb into orbit.
After the stage separated after liftoff, the Falcon rocket’s reusable booster vehicle landed precisely on the Of Course I Still Love You drone ship, stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Spaceport in Southern California, carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, a government agency responsible for building U.S. spy satellites, on June 28, 2024. (SpaceX)
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Southern California, carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, a government agency responsible for building U.S. spy satellites, on June 28, 2024. (SpaceX)
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Spaceport in Southern California, carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, a government agency responsible for building U.S. spy satellites, on June 28, 2024. (SpaceX)
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Spaceport in Southern California, carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, a government agency responsible for building U.S. spy satellites, on June 28, 2024. (SpaceX)
SpaceX launches a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Base in Southern California, carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, the government agency responsible for building US spy satellites, on June 28, 2024. (SpaceX)
SpaceX launches a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Base in Southern California, carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, the government agency responsible for building US spy satellites, on June 28, 2024. (SpaceX)
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Spaceport in Southern California, carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, a government agency responsible for building U.S. spy satellites, on June 28, 2024. (SpaceX)
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket returned to Earth and made a surprise landing on the “Of Course I Still Love You” drone spacecraft in the Pacific Ocean on June 28, 2024. (SpaceX)
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket returned to Earth and made a surprise landing of the “Of Course I Still Love You” drone ship in the Pacific Ocean on June 28, 2024. (SpaceX)
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Southern California, carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, a government agency responsible for building U.S. spy satellites, on June 28, 2024. (SpaceX)
The Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage booster has completed eight launches so far.
The booster has previously launched Crew-7, CRS-29, PACE, Transporter-10, EarthCARE, and two Starlink missions.
The launch could be seen Friday evening from hundreds of miles away along the Southern California coast.
The mission was the 66th flight of a Falcon 9 rocket in 2024. To date, 47 of the rocket’s launches have been dedicated to building SpaceX’s Starlink broadband satellite network in low Earth orbit.
Footage of the launch can be viewed in the video player above.
