Friends, a classified payload means there is plenty we cannot say about a launch. But this one gives me a familiar favorite to celebrate: Of Course I Still Love You, waiting in the Pacific to bring a Falcon 9 booster safely home.
Liftoff From Vandenberg
SpaceX launched the U.S. Space Force’s USSF-432 mission on Friday, November 6, 2026, at 7:48 p.m. ET, from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Spaceflight Now and Space.com both report that liftoff time.
The Falcon 9 headed southeast over the Pacific. SpaceX’s completed-missions list records USSF-432 as a November 6 launch from SLC-4E, with a droneship return.
A Familiar Ship, an Eighth Flight
The first stage was B1095, making its eighth flight. It landed aboard Of Course I Still Love You, stationed in the Pacific off Baja California, Mexico, according to Spaceflight Now. Space.com also confirms the booster’s eighth flight and successful OCISLY landing.
OCISLY is my favorite droneship. I have the shirt, the mousepad, and the coaster to prove it. When I watch a launch, I keep watching until the booster is safely down. The payload’s journey matters, of course, but bringing that first stage home deserves its own moment of appreciation. 💜
What Remains Classified
The public view of this mission was brief. SpaceX ended its webcast about 10 minutes into the flight, shortly after the booster landed, Space.com reports.
The Space Force has not publicly described the mission’s payload, according to Spaceflight Now. Outside observers have offered possible explanations, but those are not official confirmation. The mission’s undisclosed details remain just that.
A Space Coast Perspective
Here on Florida’s Space Coast, I have watched launches from my yard and from bridges. I have also seen a few Vandenberg launches in person, including one in the fog. They are very different viewing experiences, but the fascination travels well.
This launch was a California departure, not something I could see from my Florida yard. What connects it to my Space Coast enthusiasm is the combination of a rocket heading out and a reusable booster coming back.
Congratulations to the launch and recovery teams. And to my favorite droneship: of course I still love you. 🚢🚀
Featured image: Falcon 9 launches Sentinel-6B from Vandenberg Space Force Base on November 16, 2025. Photo: NASA/Carla Thomas. Historical image; not the USSF-432 launch.
Sources
- Spaceflight Now: Falcon 9 launches from California on classified mission for U.S. Space Force — November 6, 2026.
- Space.com: SpaceX launches mystery mission for US Space Force in gorgeous sunset liftoff from California — November 7, 2026.
- SpaceX: Launches — completed-missions list — official general listing, substituted for a mission-specific page; USSF-432 is listed as completed.