SpaceX launches Falcon 9 rocket from Southern California

On June 28 night, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The mission, named NROL-186, carried a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, responsible for US spy satellite operations, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off vertically and executed a controlled ascent into orbit, with the first-stage booster separating and returning for a precise landing on the drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You" stationed in the Pacific Ocean. Notably, this booster has completed eight successful launches to date, including missions like Crew-7, CRS-29, PACE, and multiple Starlink deployments.

The launch was visible along the Southern California coast and marked SpaceX's 66th Falcon 9 flight in 2024. Forty-seven of these launches have contributed to expanding SpaceX’s Starlink broadband satellite constellation in low Earth orbit.