T-ZERO Launch tracker

USSF-259 launch time, date and countdown

Success Sep 16, 2026, 8:07 PM CDT

Launch complete

Recorded launch time: (Thu, Sep 17, 2026, 01:07 UTC)

Launch details

US Central
UTC
Thu, Sep 17, 2026, 01:07 UTC
Launch window
8:00 PM CDT – 12:00 AM CDT
01:00 UTC – 05:00 UTC
Status
Success Launch Successful
Provider
SpaceX (Commercial)
Rocket
Falcon 9 Block 5
Mission
USSF-259
Mission type
Government/Top Secret
Orbit
Polar Orbit
Pad
Space Launch Complex 4E
Location
Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Country code
USA

Times can change. Central time is America/Chicago (CST/CDT). Source: Launch Library 2.

About this launch

USSF-259 is a launch of the Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket operated by SpaceX. The recorded launch time was Wed, Sep 16, 2026, 8:07 PM CDT (Thu, Sep 17, 2026, 01:07 UTC). The launch window runs from 8:00 PM CDT to 12:00 AM CDT (01:00 UTC to 05:00 UTC). The launch site is Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA. The target orbit is Polar Orbit. Mission type: Government/Top Secret. Launch Library 2 lists the current status as “Launch Successful”.

Mission description

USSF-259 is a classified mission for the United States Space Force. It is possibly a batch of classified LEO satellites based on SpaceX’s Starshield satellite bus, based on locations of ascent rocket stage drop zones being fits with previous SDA Transport Layer launches.

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Webcast links listed by Launch Library 2 (they open on an external site):

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