SpaceX scrubs launch of 21 Northrop Grumman satellites just before liftoff, retry set for October 6

SpaceX scrubbed its October 5, 2026, launch of 21 Northrop Grumman data transport satellites for the U.S. Space Development Agency from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. It is SDA's fourth Tranche 1 data transport launch and the first with Northrop Grumman-built satellites, adding a fourth orbital plane to a mesh network of optically linked satellites in low Earth orbit for military communications. A retry is listed for October 6 at 1:17 a.m. PDT. Once launched, the satellites would bring the Tranche 1 Transport Layer to 84 of its planned 126. Video Credit: SpaceX