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SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches NROL-77; First Stage Lands in Cloudy Brevard Amid Sonic Booms

08:50 AM, 12/10/2025
SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches NROL-77; First Stage Lands in Cloudy Brevard Amid Sonic Booms

On Tuesday, Dec. 9, a SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 2:16 p.m. ET carrying the classified NROL-77 payload for the National Reconnaissance Office. Minutes after liftoff the first-stage booster successfully touched down at Landing Zone 2 in Brevard County, marking its fourth flight and recovery. The landing produced audible sonic booms as cloudy skies moved over the area. A gallery of photos from the launch and landing is available for readers.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched Tuesday, Dec. 9, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station carrying the classified NROL-77 payload for the National Reconnaissance Office. Liftoff occurred at 2:16 p.m. ET, and the mission proceeded nominally through first-stage separation.

Minutes after launch the Falcon 9 first-stage booster returned to Earth and touched down at Landing Zone 2 in Brevard County. The touchdown marked the booster’s fourth flight and recovery, and residents reported sonic booms as clouds moved over the area during the landing.

Mission Highlights

Vehicle: SpaceX Falcon 9
Mission: NROL-77 (classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office)
Liftoff: Dec. 9 at 2:16 p.m. ET
Recovery: First-stage booster landed at Landing Zone 2, completing its fourth mission

Photographers and onlookers captured the dramatic launch and landing under cloudy skies. A gallery of images from the event is available for readers who want a closer look at the launch, ascent, and boost-back visuals.

Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact: Rneale@floridatoday.com. Follow on X/Twitter: @RickNeale1.

For the latest coverage of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space. If you value independent journalism that covers space launches in detail, consider supporting the newsroom with a subscription.

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