SpaceX launched a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office early this morning aboard Falcon 9. Liftoff was at 3:10 am ET, from pad SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. After a flawless ascent, Booster B1096 returned to land at the Cape at Landing Zone 2, successfully completing its seventh mission. The launch was the 49th of the year from the Space Coast.
Payload
The payload is classified, so little is publicly known about the payload SpaceX launched this morning. This is not atypical for a national security or military payload.
That said, your guess is as good as mine, but if either of us is right, we still won’t meet the criteria for need-to-know.
Launch Replay
Next Launch
BlueBird 11-13 Launch At a Glance
Go for Launch
| Launch Date | Wednesday, August 5, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Launch Window | 3:42–5:18 a.m. EDT |
| Mission | BlueBird 11-13 (Block 2 #6-8) |
| Launch Provider | SpaceX |
| Rocket | Falcon 9 Block 5 |
| Launch Site | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida |
| Launch Pad | Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) |
| Destination | Low Earth Orbit |
| Payload | Three AST SpaceMobile Block 2 BlueBird satellites designed to provide direct-to-device cellular broadband service. |
| Satellite Capacity | Up to 10 times the bandwidth capacity of the BlueBird Block 1 satellites, with support for voice, data and video applications. |
| Peak Data Speed | Up to 120 Mbps using beams supporting as much as 40 MHz of capacity. |
| Communications Array | Each satellite features a communications array as large as 2,400 square feet. |
| Status | Current liftoff time confirmed by official or reliable sources. |
Author: Charles Boyer
NASA kid from Cocoa Beach, FL, born of Project Apollo parents and family. I’m a writer and photographer sharing the story of spaceflight from the Eastern Range here in Florida.
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