SpaceX scrubbed its Tuesday launch attempt for a national security payload from Vandenberg Space Force Base prior to fueling without public explanation. PDT.
Space operations on the West Coast hit a temporary pause this week when a scheduled national security flight was called off. The launch prep was halted prior to fueling, and officials provided no public explanation for the scrub.
Resetting for Wednesday at Vandenberg Space Force Base
Liftoff of the USSF-259 mission is now scheduled during a four-hour window that opens at 6 p.m. When the Falcon 9 clears the pad, the rocket will fly on a southerly trajectory upon leaving Space Launch Complex 4E. Spaceflight Now announced it will carry live coverage beginning about 30 minutes prior to liftoff.
Classified Payloads and Space Systems Command Contracts
The flight carries a classified payload expected to be deployed into a low Earth orbit, inclined roughly 80 degrees from the Equator. This flight represents the third launch in a month procured by the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command through the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 contract. To date, the command has declined to confirm any details regarding these missions.
Public documents identify the USSF-259 payload under the designation TH-1. Similar documents previously tracked related missions under different identifiers, including USSF-366 launched on Aug. 15 and USSF-153 launched on Sept. 10, which were listed as R1 and R2 respectively and each carried 23 satellites. A further mission designated R-3 is currently scheduled for Sept. 27.
Falcon 9 Booster History and Droneship Landing Targets
For this Vandenberg operation, SpaceX is utilizing the Falcon 9 first stage booster B1097. This flight marks the 13th journey for this specific booster. Its prior flight roster includes NROL-172, Twilight, Transporter-17, Sentinel-6B, and eight batches of Starlink satellites.
Nearly 8.5 minutes after liftoff, booster B1097 will target a recovery landing on the droneship, Of Course I Still Love You, positioned in the Pacific Ocean. If the maneuver succeeds, it will mark the 224th landing on that specific vessel and the 661st Falcon booster landing to date.
