SpaceX national security mission marks last use of Canaveral’s landing zones
SpaceX sent up its second launch in less than 24 hours on the Space Coast on Tuesday afternoon, while also bringing home its booster for the last time on a landing zone it has been leasing for the last 10 years.
Liftoff! pic.twitter.com/4iQmX6dSF8
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 9, 2025
A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off on the NROL-77 mission with a classified satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 2:16 p.m.
This was the fourth launch of the first-stage booster, which made a recovery at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 2.
SpaceX had warned the land recovery could bring one or more sonic booms to parts of Central Florida.
The warning was part of the same standard plans SpaceX plans to use for future Starship and Super Heavy launches, which promise to bring more powerful versions of the loud and rattling pressure change as the massive spacecraft’s booster, as well as upper stage, breaks the sound barrier upon returns to the launch site.