Currently, at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, tech billionaire Elon Musk has taken on the project of launching the GPS III-9 satellite into mid-Earth orbit.
This satellite, Falcon 9, designed by Lockheed Martin, is a reusable rocket. It will become part of the Global Positioning System (GPS) operated by the U.S. Space Force. Its purpose is to be used by the military, apps, and consumer technologies in the U.S., according to the U.S. Space Force.
The U.S. Space Force stated that, “these satellites are the primary navigation providers for all major U.S. military assets … Our global financial markets, transportation systems, utilities, the ride-share industry, and our agriculture and construction industries also all depend on the positioning, navigation and timing signals from GPS satellites.”
A dozen launches have been completed so far by SpaceX in 2026, and several more are scheduled in February 2026. The launch was scheduled for Feb. 10 but was postponed due to bad weather.
For the latest on GPS III-9’s launch and SpaceX, read our live blog below. All times are in EST.
The Beginning — 8:34pm EST
The official SpaceX Twitter account indicated the start of the mission:
For more information and a countdown, click here.
Livestream of Mission — 8:37pm EST
Can’t make it to Florida on a whim? You’re in luck! SpaceX has provided audiences with a livestream so you can watch Falcon 9 launch the GPS III-9 mission from pad 40.
Watch here.
Know your Neighbor — 8:40 pm EST
The Brevard County Emergency Management Office has issued a Launch Alert in preparation for Falcon 9.
Maneuver Map — 8:45 pm EST
SpaceX released the projected map; follow along as history is made.
3..2..1..Takeoff! — 8:49 pm EST
After much anticipation, it is officially time! Watch the footage of Falcon 9’s liftoff here.
Explosion — 8:54 pm EST
This launch has proven to be unsuccessful. A tweet from @CrimeWithBobby shows Falcon 9 explosion after launch.
A semi-happy ending — 8:57 pm EST
SpaceX has confirmed the reusable part of Falcon 9 has landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship.
Deployment of GPS III 9 — 9:00 pm EST
SpaceX has provided another update showing the deployment of the GPS III-9.
Mission Complete — 9:03 pm EST
What a journey! SpaceX has confirmed via Instagram that the third accelerated mission for the U.S. Space Force is now officially complete.
Thank you for following along. For more SpaceX related content click here. Please stay tuned for further launches this month.
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