SpaceX rocket blasts off from Vandenberg Space Force Base
Update, 1:40 p.m.:
The SpaceX rocket has successfully launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base.
The Falcon 9 rocket took off from the Central Coast military base at 1:09 p.m., deploying 51 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit.
The webcast of the launch can be watched at www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sl2-9.
Original story:
A SpaceX rocket is set to launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Wednesday, carrying satellites for the aerospace company’s Starlink constellation.
SpaceX is targeting a 1:09 p.m. launch of its Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg’s Space Launch Complex 4E near Lompoc, with a backup opportunity on Thursday at 12:55 p.m.
The mission will carry 51 satellites into low-Earth orbit.
The first-stage booster supporting this mission previously launched Space Development Agency’s Tranche 0 and one Starlink mission.
Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
How to watch Vandenberg rocket launch
The SpaceX launch will likely be viewable from around the Central Coast, depending on the weather conditions and whether Vandenberg’s infamous fog makes an appearance.
There are several viewing areas around the Lompoc area for those interested in watching the spectacle live.
Cars often line up along Ocean Avenue, also known as Highway 246, with hundreds of spectators sitting on top of their vehicles or on the side of the road waiting for the rocket to come shooting up over the hills.
Other popular viewing sites include spots along Firefighter, Harris Grade and Santa Lucia roads.
A live webcast of the launch will begin about five minutes prior to liftoff and can be watched online at www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sl2-9.
This story was originally published May 10, 2023 at 11:06 AM.
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