(Launch file photo courtesy SpaceX)

     Updated--SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara about a hour before sunrise Tuesday.

     Liftoff was at 5:19 AM

     Payload was several satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office.

     The first stage of the rocket was successfully returned to earth where it landed on a drone ship off the Ventura County coast.

     That produced a sonic boom about eight minutes after launch that could be heard around 5:27 AM.

     Because of the national security nature of the satellites, details of their deployment were not released.