SpaceX is gearing up for its eighth Falcon 9 rocket launch, set to take place on Wednesday evening. The mission, named United States Space Force 124 (USSF-124), will carry a payload of missile warning satellites for the Missile Defense Agency and Space Development Agency. The launch is scheduled to take place from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, with a four-hour launch window opening at 5:30 p.m. EST.
This launch is part of a busy schedule for SpaceX, as they plan to launch up to three missions within a nine-hour period. In addition to the USSF-124 mission, they are also aiming to launch another batch of Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base and Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lunar lander overnight.
The Falcon 9 rocket will carry a total of six satellites on board. Two of these satellites belong to the U.S. Department of Defense’s Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and are part of the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) program. The other four satellites are part of the U.S. Space Forces’ Space Development Agency’s (SDA) Tranche 0 (T0) Tracking Layer satellites.
The HBTSS satellites are a crucial step forward in missile warning, tracking, and defense efforts. Lt. Gen. Heath Collins, director of MDA, stated, “These HBTSS satellites are an essential step forward in our efforts to stay ahead of our adversaries.” The MDA awarded contracts to L3Harris Technologies, Raytheon Technologies, Northrop Grumman, and Lidos to develop HBTSS payload concepts.
Similarly, Northrop Grumman received a $153 million award for its portion of the HBTSS program work. The Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor satellites will provide continuous tracking and handoff to enable targeting of enemy missiles launched from land, sea, or air.
The SDA’s Tranche 0 Tracking Layer satellites, built by L3Harris, will join the HBTSS satellites in the same orbit. This will allow both agencies to test how the two sensors work together. Derek Tournear, director of SDA, said, “We’ll be able to look at test targets from the same orbit at the same time, so that we can see how the two sensors work together.”
The planned launch of USSF-124 will be the 11th National Security Space Launch (NSSL) mission for SpaceX’s Falcon family of rockets. It is also the second launch as part of the NSSL Phase 2 contract awards. Over the course of five order years, SpaceX was issued a total of 22 missions worth $2.5 billion.
SpaceX is hoping for favorable weather conditions for the launch, with the 45th Weather Squadron forecasting a better than 95 percent chance of favorable conditions. Following this mission, SpaceX will turn its attention to Vandenberg Space Force Base for another Falcon 9 rocket launch and then back to Cape Canaveral for the launch of Intuitive Machines’ Moon-bound robotic lander named Odysseus.
With each launch, SpaceX continues to strengthen America’s capabilities and deterrence in the face of growing threats. Col. Jim Horne, senior materiel leader for SSC’s Launch Execution Delta, said, “It’s what we do in the Space Force, and we take that charge seriously.”
As SpaceX prepares for a busy night of launches, all eyes are on their ability to successfully deploy the missile warning satellites and contribute to national safety. The world eagerly awaits the outcome of these critical missions as SpaceX continues to push the boundaries of space exploration and technology.
