SpaceX is launching secret USSF-124 mission to low-Earth orbit (February 14, 2024)

SpaceX will launch a new Falcon 9 rocket to send secret Space Force mission USSF-124 to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

The first launch window will open at 5:30 p.m. ET and there is another opportunity available on February 15 at the same time. As mentioned, this is a secret mission, and no details about the payload are announced.

Information from Spacenews reveals that the U.S. Missile Defense Agency is looking at this mission which includes six satellites to track hypersonic missiles. Four Missles-tracking sensors made by L3Harris for the Space Development Agency’s

Four satellites are built with missile-tracking sensors made by L3Harris for the Space Development Agency’s Tracking Layer constellation and others by Northrop Grumman under MDA’s Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) program.

Based on the mission milestones, the 1st stage of liquid oxygen loading will begin 35 minutes before the liftoff and Falcon 9. Following the launch, the vehicle will reach Max Q at 1:12 minutes of the mission and the 1st stage will land back about 8 minutes.

The first stage booster will compete for its 7th launch previously fired Crew-6, SES 03b mPOWER, and four Starlink satellite missions.

The mission control is keeping deployment secret due to the involvement of US agencies. However, a live mission broadcast will happen on social media site X.