SpaceX is set to launch a classified mission for the U.S. Space Force today, September 10, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to launch within a three-hour window starting at 11:37 a.m. EDT (1537 GMT; 8:37 a.m. local time). The mission, known as USSF-153, is classified, meaning details about its payloads, their purpose, and their intended destination are not publicly disclosed. A live webcast of the launch will begin approximately 10 minutes before liftoff and will continue until shortly after the Falcon 9's first stage returns to Earth. The rocket’s first stage is expected to land on a SpaceX drone ship in the Pacific Ocean about 8.5 minutes after launch. This landing is part of SpaceX's routine practice of reusing rocket components to reduce costs and increase efficiency. According to NextSpaceflight.com, the mission may involve deploying a group of classified low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites for a U.S. government agency. These satellites could be built using SpaceX’s Starshield satellite bus, a platform designed for national security purposes. Starshield is based on the technology and launch infrastructure used for SpaceX’s Starlink program, which is a large network of satellites providing global broadband internet services. SpaceX describes Starshield as a way to leverage its existing capabilities to support national security missions. This launch will mark the 104th Falcon 9 mission of 2026. Of these, 80 have been dedicated to expanding the Starlink constellation, which currently includes over 11,000 active satellites. The USSF-153 mission will be the 27th flight for the specific Falcon 9 first stage being used today. While this is a notable number, it still falls short of the current record for a SpaceX booster, which is 37 flights, set recently during a Starlink launch.