USSF-124 (HBTSS & Others)
Launch Success
Liftoff Time (GMT)
22:30:00
Wednesday February 14, 2024
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Official Livestream
Mission Details
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Launch Notes
2nd Falcon 9 launch to land a booster on LZ-2, a landing zone typically only used for Falcon Heavy missions with dual side booster returns. Falcon 9's usual landing zone, LZ-1, was reserved for IM-1, which launched only 8 hours after USSF-124.
SDA Tranche 0 Tracking Layer satellites
Four SDA Tranche 0 Tracking Layer missile warning satellites by L3Harris will be launched on USSF-124. These were scheduled to launch on SDA Tranche 0B but were taken off the manifest due to production delays.
Manufacturer: L3Harris
Operator: Space Development Agency
Low Earth Orbit
4 Payloads
USSF-124 (HBTSS)
USSF-124 is a classified mission for the United States Space Force. It consists of 2 satellites, one by L3Harris and the other by Northrop Grumman, to be launched as the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) mission for the US Missile Defense Agency. These satellites have improved sensitivity to detect and track hypersonic missiles with fainter signatures.
Manufacturer: Northrop Grumman & L3Harris
Operator: Missile Defense Agency
Low Earth Orbit
2 Payloads
Rocket
Agency
SpaceXPrice
$69.75 million
Rocket
Diameter: 3.7m
Height: 70m
Payload to Orbit
LEO: 22,800 kg
GTO: 8,300 kg
Liftoff Thrust
7,607 Kilonewtons
Fairing
Diameter: 5.2m
Height: 13m
Stages
2
Landing Zone 2
Launch Site
Stats
Falcon 9
299th
Mission
13th
Mission of 2024
SpaceX
315th
Mission
13th
Mission of 2024
2024
28th
Orbital launch attempt