A SpaceX rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station just after 1:30 a.m. Thursday, sending a sonic boom across Brevard County. The launch, part of the NROL-95 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office, marked the first flight of the year from the East Coast. The mission is classified, but officials have confirmed it involves a satellite designed for national security purposes. Residents across the Space Coast reported hearing the boom, with some describing it as a low rumble that lasted several seconds. The launch window had been delayed multiple times due to weather, but clear skies late Wednesday allowed the mission to proceed. SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket, which has previously launched satellites for NASA and commercial clients, carried the payload into orbit. The NROL-95 mission is the second in a series of classified satellite deployments for the agency, following the NROL-87 mission in 2022. Local officials said the launch was expected and that residents were advised to take precautions if they heard the sonic boom. The next scheduled launch from the Space Coast is set for early next month, pending weather conditions. This year’s launch schedule has been busy, with SpaceX planning multiple missions from both Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center. The company has also been working on upgrades to its launch pads to support future missions, including those for NASA’s Artemis program. Residents near the launch site said they were used to the noise but still felt the impact of the boom. 'It’s always a reminder of what’s happening just a few miles away,' said one local who lives near the Space Force Station. The mission is expected to last several years, with the satellite providing data for defense and intelligence operations.