SpaceX gears up to launch classified USSF-432 mission on November 2—streaming details here

SpaceX is preparing to launch another classified mission for the U.S. Space Force on November 2. The mission is scheduled to launch from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California within a four-hour window which opens at 5:42 pm PT (8:42 pm EST). In case it is scrubbed for some reason, a backup opportunity is available on November 3 starting 5:28 pm PT (8:28 pm EST). According to SpaceX, the USSF-432 mission will mark the eighth flight for the Falcon 9 rocket's first stage booster which has previously launched GPS III-8 and six Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the booster will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship stationed in the Pacific Ocean. It also said that residents in California’s Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties may hear one or more sonic booms during launch. You can watch the launch live on SpaceX’s official website or X handle. The webcast will begin about 10 minutes prior to liftoff. 

As expected, SpaceX has not released any details about the payload or the altitude at which they will be deployed. This comes two weeks after Falcon 9 launched the previous classified mission, USSF-481, from California on October 16. The first stage booster supporting that mission flew for the 28th time after supporting several major missions such as the Crew-7, CRS-29, PACE, Transporter-10, EarthCARE, NROL-186, Transporter-13, TRACERS, NROL-48, COSMO-SkyMED Second Generation FM3, USSF-153, and 16 Starlink missions. It’s most likely that SpaceX will end the livestream shortly after the rocket’s liftoff similar to the prevous mission. 

There’s another launch scheduled on November 6. The Falcon 9 rocket is also scheduled to launch from the Vandenberg Space Force Base with 27 Starlink satellites but the timing is yet to be revealed. SpaceX says the first stage booster, which has supported NROL-179, SDA-T1TL-E, SDA-T1TL-A and three Starlink missions, will also land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship in the Pacific Ocean. 

Yesterday, SpaceX completed the 118th Falcon 9 mission of the year with the successful launch of 27 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit. The rocket lifted off at 11:04 pm EST from Vandenberg completing the 18th flight of the first stage booster. The Starlink constellation has more than 11,000 satellites in orbit to date and SpaceX has plans to launch thousands more. Apart from the Falcon rockets, the company has launched the Falcon Heavy and the Starship rocket three times each. Starship is scheduled to fly again on November 12 if it receives a permit from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). 

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