Before a hurricane reaches Florida, SpaceX launches a spy plane

Enlarge / The Falcon 9 rocket is ready to launch an Air Force spy plane. (credit: SpaceX)

10:20am ET Update: SpaceX made it. Beneath partly cloudy skies along the eastern coast of Florida, the rocket company launched the X-37B space plane near the beginning of the launch window. The spacecraft made it safely into orbit-how high was unspecified, due to the secretive nature of the mission-and the Falcon 9 rocket's first stage returned safely to a landing zone along the coast.

Now the rocket company, and the rest of Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and other space companies along the coast, must make their final preparations for the effects of Hurricane Irma this weekend.

Original post: Florida has a lot to worry about right now with the imminent arrival of Hurricane Irma, but before the storm arrives this weekend, SpaceX is trying to squeeze out one more launch. And it's a big one. The company's Falcon 9 rocket will launch the US Air Force's X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle on its fifth mission.

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