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.

The US Air Force secretary has publicly acknowledged that the United States has weapons in space. The statement is a rare, direct confirmation of long-speculated military capabilities in orbit, and it lands amid growing debate over space militarization, satellite security, and rivals' counter-space programs. Officials and analysts are likely to press for specifics on what systems exist and what the acknowledgment means for arms-control efforts.

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 acquiring directed-energy laser systems to shoot down drones flying over Cape Canaveral, Florida, home to a major space launch complex. The weapons are intended to protect rockets, spacecraft and infrastructure from small unmanned aerial threats near the busy spaceport. Details on which systems will be fielded and when remain limited, but the move reflects growing concern about drone threats to critical launch sites.

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.

SpaceX launched a secretive mission for the US Space Force from California. Details about the payload and purpose have not been disclosed, consistent with classified military spaceflight. Photos released from the launch show the rocket lifting off from the West Coast, and the mission is drawing attention for the lack of public information about what was carried into orbit.