SpaceX Launches Space Force Unit's Missile-Tracking Satellites After Multiple Delays

Elon Musk‘s SpaceX on Sunday launched the Space Development Agency's Tranche 0 mission to low-Earth orbit (LEO).

What Happened: SpaceX launched the Space Development Agency's Tranche 0 mission to LEO from California on Sunday at 7:29 a.m. The launch is a part of the agency’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA).

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SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launched 10 transport and tracking layer satellites that would support military activities including tracking advanced missile threats, SDA said in a statement.

While York Space Systems provided eight transport satellites, SpaceX provided two tracking satellites for the launch.

The launch was initially expected on March 30 but was postponed to March 31 and then again to April 2 to investigate technical issues with Falcon 9.

SDA has 28 satellites planned under Tranche 0- 20 data transport satellites and eight missile warning satellites. York Space Systems and Lockheed Martin Corp LMT will provide 10 transport satellites each, and SpaceX and L3Harris Technologies Inc LHX will provide four tracking satellites each. The second launch of Tranche 0 is tabled for June.

With the new launch, SpaceX has touched 221 launches in total. Last week, the space exploration company launched 56 more Starlink satellites to LEO from Florida.

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