US Space Force

SpaceX carried out a launch for the US Space Force from California, with the payload's purpose remaining classified. Details about the mission have not been disclosed, and the secrecy surrounding it is drawing attention from space watchers and news outlets sharing footage and images of the liftoff.

SpaceX launched a classified US Space Force mission from California and successfully landed the Falcon 9 booster at sea. The payload's purpose has not been disclosed, consistent with national security missions. Multiple local outlets are carrying the launch, highlighting SpaceX's continued role in military space operations and its reusable rocket landing operations at sea.

The US Space Force is adding laser systems at Cape Canaveral following hundreds of drone flights reported near the port area. The move signals growing military attention to unmanned aircraft activity around the Florida spaceport, a critical launch site. Observers are watching whether the lasers are intended for defense testing, counter-drone operations, or airspace monitoring.

The US Air Force has issued an official directive requiring every Airman and Guardian to update their religious affiliation records so they align with Department of Defense standards. The order applies across the entire force, including Space Force personnel, though details on how the data will be used and why the change is being mandated now were not provided.

The US Air Force secretary has acknowledged that the United States possesses weapons in space, a rare official confirmation of American offensive capabilities in orbit. The statement is drawing attention because US officials have historically avoided detailing space-based weaponry, and it lands amid growing concerns over military competition in orbit with rivals such as China and Russia.