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Rare Night Landing: SpaceX Rocket Booms Over California
10 Oct
Summary
- SpaceX Falcon 9 launch set for Saturday, just after midnight Friday.
- Booster return to Vandenberg landing zone may cause sonic booms.
- Satellites for military communications network are payload.
Southern California residents may experience a loud boom overnight Friday, potentially from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch. The launch is scheduled for Saturday at 12:39 a.m. from Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Unlike many recent missions, this Falcon 9 booster is slated for a return landing at Vandenberg's Landing Zone 4, approximately eight minutes after liftoff. This ground landing could generate audible sonic booms for residents in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties, depending on atmospheric conditions.
The mission's payload includes satellites for the Space Development Agency's data transport network, aimed at developing a low-Earth orbit military satellite communications system. This launch follows several previous delays since early October.
SpaceX is also planning another Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg on Monday, Oct. 12, carrying Starlink satellites. A backup launch opportunity for Saturday's mission is set for Sunday, Oct. 11, at 12:32 a.m.
