Falcon 9 Launches SDA Tranche 2 Tracking Layer B: 30 Sep 2026

A SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket is scheduled to launch the SDA Tranche 2 Tracking Layer B mission on 30 September 2026 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The flight will deploy a batch of missile-tracking satellites for the U.S. Space Development Agency into low Earth orbit.

What is the SDA Tranche 2 Tracking Layer?

The Tracking Layer is a proliferated constellation of infrared sensor satellites built to detect and track hypersonic and ballistic missile threats from low Earth orbit. It is operated by the U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA), part of the U.S. Space Force. The Tracking Layer forms one half of the SDA's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, alongside the data-relay Transport Layer.

Tranche 2 significantly expands on the earlier Tranche 0 and Tranche 1 fleets, adding dozens of new missile-warning and missile-tracking spacecraft to build resilient, global coverage. The "Layer B" designation marks one production block within the broader Tranche 2 buildout.

When is the launch?

The launch is targeted for 30 September 2026 at 00:00 UTC, per the mission schedule. The status is currently listed as TBD, meaning the date and time may shift as launch preparations and range availability are finalized.

What rocket is being used?

The mission flies on the Falcon 9 Block 5, SpaceX's two-stage, partially reusable orbital launch vehicle. Standing about 70 meters tall, Falcon 9 can lift roughly 22,800 kg to low Earth orbit in expendable configuration and is powered by nine Merlin engines on its first stage. The Block 5 booster is designed for rapid reuse, with individual cores having flown more than 20 times.

Falcon 9 is the most-flown operational rocket in the world, and SpaceX has become the SDA's primary launch partner for deploying its proliferated constellations. You can follow SpaceX's launch cadence on our SpaceX launch schedule.

Where is it launching from?

The rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, one of the busiest launch complexes on Earth. The Cape hosts multiple active Falcon 9 pads and supports the majority of U.S. East Coast orbital launches. See other flights from the site on our Cape Canaveral launch hub.

What is the payload?

The payload is a group of SDA Tracking Layer satellites carrying wide-field-of-view infrared sensors. These spacecraft operate in low Earth orbit, where their close proximity to the surface allows them to detect the heat signatures of missiles during their boost and glide phases. Operating as a networked constellation, they hand off tracking data to ground stations and to the Transport Layer for rapid dissemination to warfighters.

The SDA follows a "spiral development" model, launching successive tranches every few years to continuously upgrade capability and grow the fleet toward hundreds of satellites.

How to watch live

SpaceX typically streams its launches beginning about 15 minutes before liftoff on its official channels. Because this is a national-security mission for the SDA, portions of the webcast may be curtailed after payload deployment.

You can also watch the mission unfold in context on Cosmik's live 3D solar system and satellite map, and check countdowns for every upcoming flight on our rocket launch schedule. For the latest updates, visit our launch news feed. Launch data is sourced from The Space Devs Launch Library.

Background and further reading

• Falcon 9 — rocket family overview
• Space Development Agency — mission operator
• Cape Canaveral SFS — launch site

Follow the launch live on Cosmik

Track the SDA Tranche 2 Tracking Layer B mission and its deployed satellites in real time on Cosmik, and enable free launch alerts so you never miss a liftoff. See the full upcoming schedule on our launch tracker.