SpaceX’sFalcon Heavyrocket launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on November 1 at 9:41 am local time . This is the first time since June 2019 that the rocket salad has taken to the sky . And it did so for a secret mission on behalf of the US Space System Command , part of the Department of Defense ’s activities in quad .

detail of the mission , as one might imagine , are scarce . It would n’t really be a classified mission otherwise . But the US Space Force has share some details . The mission , dub USSF-44placed multiple satellite in orbit . Among the loading , there were two vehicles the Long Duration Propulsive EELV Secondary Payload Adaptor ( LDPE ESPA-2 ) and the Shepard Demonstration Mission .

The LDPE ESPA-2 has been compare to a freightage caravan , which boost planet to geosynchronous orbits . It will attest that by delivering six low lading there , including satellites for advanced communications and space weather . The theme is that this could be a way to move lowly payloads to eminent celestial orbit . This is the second of three missions in the LDPE program .

The Shepard Demonstration is quiz new engineering that should guarantee safe and responsible tryst in space and raise propinquity operations . Again , something that has many challenging possibilities .

“ We are always looking ahead , planning for the next needs of our space arrangement partners and endow in talent and engineering we will need to ensure we allow assured access to infinite with confidence , ” U.S. Space Force Maj . Gen. Select Stephen Purdy said in astatement .

SpaceX Falcon launches are far-famed for the return on the reason of their friend . They are then renovate ahead of a fresh launch , to cut down on costs . The Falcon Heavy had not yet been able to land its side boosters and heart effect down on Earth safely at the same prison term . Yesterday ’s launching saw the side boosters come down on land safely .

The core was not going to be recovered asthe fuel consumption needed for this missionwouldn’t have allowed a safe return . The side boosters are expected to be refurbished in sentence for another Space Force launch in the next two months .

The Falcon Heavy might not arrest the disc for the most powerful rocket salad for much longer . If everything goes according to design , NASA ’s Space Launch System will fly the Artemis I mission afterward this month , becoming the new record - holder .