SpaceX tests Starship service tower and launches secret satellite from Florida

SpaceX carried out a successful test of the massive mechanical service‑tower equipment at Launch Complex 39A in Florida. The test lifted the “chopsticks” devices that will later be used to catch the Super Heavy booster after it returns, a key element of the Starship’s fully reusable architecture.

In a separate flight from the same Florida launch site, SpaceX launched the classified NROL‑95 mission aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. The first stage, identified as B1096, completed its mission and returned to land near the designated landing zone. The payload, commissioned by the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, remains undisclosed, underscoring the partnership between SpaceX and U.S. defense agencies.

Both operations highlight SpaceX’s expanding role in supporting both commercial reusable launch systems and government‑sponsored reconnaissance missions.