Surprise Vandenberg rocket launch wowed spectators as far away as Arizona. See the photos
Did you see a bright light shooting across the sky just after sunset on Thursday?
Chances are you caught the third launch of Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket as it blasted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base, creating a dramatic spectacle that could be seen across California and beyond — even as far as the Grand Canyon.
The launch came as something of a surprise to many folks who are accustomed to Vandenberg events being announced and confirmed by officials well ahead of time.
The aerospace company — whose first rocket launch attempt almost exactly two years ago ended in an explosion — did tweet Aug. 30 that it was ready for the “24-hour callup” for what has been referred to as the “VICTUS NOX” mission.
Firefly was chosen by the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command for the mission, which was meant to “demonstrate the United States’ capability to rapidly respond to on-orbit needs during a conflict or in response to a national security threat,” according to the company’s website.
Space Systems Command confirmed the mission was a success late Thursday night, saying liftoff took place at the first available launch window, 27 hours after receipt of launch orders, setting a new record for responsive space launch.
The previous responsive space launch record was 21 days, set on June 13, 2021, with Space Systems Command’s launch of TacRL-2, according to a news release.
“The success of VICTUX NOX marks a culture shift in our nation’s ability to deter adversary aggression and, when required, respond with the operational speed necessary to deliver decisive capabilities to our warfighters,” Lt. Gen. Michael Guetlein, commander of Space Systems Command, said in the release.
The agency said the next step is to initialize the space vehicle in orbit and begin operations in under 48 hours.
Surprised viewers share pictures, videos of rocket launch on social media
The Alpha rocket blasted off from Vandenberg just before 7:30 p.m. — right at the perfect moment for its contrails to catch the last of the day’s sunlight.
This created a dramatic spectacle that could be seen from across California and well into Arizona.
Here are some of the best pictures and videos showing the launch.
Did you get a great picture or video of the launch? Send it and a quick note about where you took it from to reporter Kaytlyn Leslie at kleslie@thetribunenews.com.
This story was originally published September 15, 2023 at 9:59 AM.
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