A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to lift off Wednesday evening from Vandenberg Space Force Base on the Santa Barbara County coast.
The rocket will carry 25 Starlink internet satellites into low-Earth orbit. The launch window is set to be open from 6:43 p.m. to 10:43 p.m. California time.
Launch times are subject to change, depending on factors like weather conditions.
The rocket and spectacular exhaust plume are sometimes visible for hundreds of miles as it soars along the coast, if skies are clear and light conditions are right. Launches just after sunset and before sunrise usually provide the best views as the rocket reflects the sun’s rays against the backdrop of a darkened sky.
Sunset in Los Angeles will be at 5:13 p.m.
After separation, the first stage booster landed on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship in the Pacific. People in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties may hear one or more sonic booms.
SpaceX has a Starlink constellation of satellites orbiting Earth about 340 miles up, shuttled into space by the company’s rockets. The Starlink network is designed to deliver high-speed internet anywhere around the globe.
If light conditions are right, the satellites appear in a train as they parade across the night sky. The satellites are sometimes visible in the first few minutes after sundown and before sunrise when the sun is below the horizon, but the satellites are high enough to reflect direct sunlight.
Use the FindStarlink tracker to find the best upcoming viewing times.
