Liftoff! SpaceX rocket blasts off from Vandenberg on an asteroid-deflecting mission

SpaceX successfully launched its rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Tuesday evening — at the same time rocketing the world into a potentially new era of planetary defense.

The Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched from the Central Coast base at 10: 21 p.m., carrying NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test, also known as DART.

DART is meant to impact the asteroid Dimorphos sometime next year and see if it can change the path of the moonlet.

It’s a first-of-its-kind mission, one that seems more akin to summer blockbuster fodder than actual reality, so it’s no wonder the launch itself drew both local and national attention.

The rocket blasted its way across Central Coast skies in a dramatic late-night display before depositing its payload into orbit. DART will orbit the planet before heading toward its asteroid-deflecting mission, according to NASA.

This story was originally published November 23, 2021 at 10:11 PM.

Kaytlyn Leslie

The Tribune

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Kaytlyn Leslie writes about business and development for The San Luis Obispo Tribune. Hailing from Nipomo, she also covers city governments and happenings in San Luis Obispo. She joined The Tribune in 2013 after graduating from Cal Poly with her journalism degree.