Overview
Falcon 9 Block 5 | SDA Tranche 1 Tracking Layer A
To Be DeterminedSpace Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
September 30, 2026 — 00:00 UTC
Image credit: SpaceX
Launch Provider
SpaceX
- Country
- United States of America
- Founded
- 2002
- Leadership
- CEO: Elon Musk
- Launch Record
- 694 success, 15 failed
Space Exploration Technologies Corp., known as SpaceX, is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. It was founded in 2002 by entrepreneur Elon Musk with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and enabling the colonization of Mars. SpaceX operates from many pads, on the East Coast of the US they operate from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and historic LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center. They also operate from SLC-4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, usually for polar launches. Another launch site is being developed at Boca Chica, Texas.
Mission
SDA Tranche 1 Tracking Layer A
- Type
- Government/Top Secret
- Target Orbit
- Polar Orbit
Tranche 1 Tracking Layer A is one of five missions by the United States Space Force Space Development Agency (SDA) for the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) Tranche 1 Tracking Layer constellation, which will provide global indications, warning, tracking, and targeting of advanced missile threats, including hypersonic missile systems.

Launch Vehicle
Falcon 9 Block 5
- Height
- 70.0 m
- Diameter
- 3.65 m
- Liftoff Mass
- 549.0 t
- Liftoff Thrust
- 7607.0 kN
- Mass to LEO
- 22800.0 kg
- Mass to GTO
- 8300.0 kg
- Reusable
- Yes
- Maiden Flight
- 2018-05-11
- Launch Success
- 612 / 614
- Consecutive Success
- 315
Falcon 9 is a two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of satellites and the Dragon spacecraft into orbit. The Block 5 variant is the fifth major interval aimed at improving upon the ability for rapid reusability.
Launch Site
Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) is a launch site at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, U.S. The pad was previously used by Atlas and Titan rockets between 1963 and 2005. The pad was built for use by Atlas-Agena rockets, but was later rebuilt to handle Titan rockets.
Latest Updates
NET May-Q2 (unclear which of the lettered groups will fly first).
January 28, 2026 — 18:41 UTC
Adding launch
October 31, 2023 — 20:01 UTC