World News Update: SpaceX set to launch USSF-385 from Vandenberg, California; Russian strikes kill 4 in Ukraine

Launch: Falcon 9 USSF-385 (before liftoff)

Rocket

SpaceX Falcon 9

Launch site

Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E), Vandenberg Space Force Base, California

Time (CT)

Window opens 9:00 a.m. CT Saturday, Sept. 26 (7:00 a.m. PT) and lasts three hours. Backup: Sunday, Sept. 27, 7:49 a.m. CT (5:49 a.m. PT).

Result

Lifted off at 9:01 a.m. CT; booster landed. See the after-liftoff update.

Cargo

Classified national-security payload for the U.S. Space Force; details not released.

Booster

Reused. SpaceX says this first stage is flying for the 10th time; it previously launched NROL-95 and eight Starlink missions. Planned landing: the Of Course I Still Love You droneship in the Pacific Ocean.

Our view Another step toward Mars: SpaceX lands and reflies its Falcon boosters, as it plans to do again today, and it is pursuing the same idea of rapid reuse with Starship, the rocket it is building to carry people to Mars.

SpaceX said a live webcast will begin about 10 minutes before liftoff on its website and on X @SpaceX. It also said residents of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties may hear one or more sonic booms, depending on weather and other conditions.

World news since the 6 AM brief

• Russian attacks kill four across Ukraine; Ukrainian drones hit Russia's Krasnodar region Two women died in Zaporizhzhia and two people were killed in Sumy, officials said, The Associated Press reported. A Ukrainian drone attack on Russia's Krasnodar region killed three people and wounded two, its governor said, and Russia's Defense Ministry said its strike on Kyiv damaged a data center supporting cellphone internet and Starlink service. Zelenskyy said Ukraine hit the Ilsky oil refinery in Krasnodar overnight. (AP via ABC News, RBC-Ukraine)
• Iran still waiting on a formal U.S. answer to its seven-day Hormuz plan The U.S. government has not publicly responded; a U.S. official told Al Jazeera Washington is in no hurry and sees itself in a strong position on the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Central Command said it has redirected 122 commercial vessels to enforce the blockade of Iran, and the White House had yet to expand on President Trump's overnight “Trump Strait” post, AP reported. (Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera (live), AP via WTOP)
• Gulf council condemns Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary General Jasem Al Budaiwi strongly condemned the Houthi attacks aimed at Riyadh and Khamis Mushait, and Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council head Rashad Al Alimi announced a general mobilization against the Houthis, The National reported. (The National)

Earlier: the full 6 AM World Brief (Iran, Saudi intercepts, Cuba planning, U.S.-China AI channel)