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SpaceX Launches Classified USSF-481 Mission for US Space Force
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Firstpost•16-10-2026, 07:48
SpaceX Launches Classified USSF-481 Mission for US Space Force
- •SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying the classified USSF-481 payload for the US Space Force from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
- •The first-stage booster B1081 completed its historic 28th flight, successfully landing on the autonomous droneship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean.
- •Specific details and operational objectives of the USSF-481 payload remain classified by the military.
- •This mission marks the 228th booster recovery on a droneship and the 671st overall Falcon booster landing for SpaceX.
Key Questions Answered
The USSF-481 is a classified space mission for the US Space Force that carried a secretive payload into low Earth orbit on Thursday, October 15, 2026, from Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Following liftoff, the Falcon 9 first-stage booster successfully returned to Earth and landed on the autonomous droneship named Of Course I Still Love You stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
Booster B1081 successfully completed its 28th flight during the USSF-481 mission, adding to a record that includes previous NASA, national security, European, and Starlink launches.
