News

Southern California night owls in for a celestial treat, as SpaceX gears up for its second back-to-back launch in Hawthorne. The launch, scheduled at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, will see the Falcon 9 rocket take off from Vandenberg Space Force Base, situated northwest of Santa Barbara. If skies are clear, spectators may catch a glimpse of the rocket and its exhaust plume, visible for hundreds of miles as it soars along the coast.

Notably, launches that occur just after sunset or before sunrise offer the best vantage points, as the rocket reflects the sun’s rays against the darkened sky. Observers in dark locations may even be able to spot the rocket’s faint exhaust plume, which generates its own light instead of being illuminated by sunlight at high altitudes.

The primary payload for this launch is 21 Starlink internet satellites, which will be deployed into low-Earth orbit. The first stage booster, with a total of 15 flights under its belt, will attempt to land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship stationed in the Pacific Ocean.

Other launch windows are available at 12:51 a.m. on both Thursday and Friday mornings, providing additional opportunities for witnessing the rocket launch.

Interestingly, this launch comes shortly after another SpaceX rocket is scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This particular rocket, carrying 22 Starlink internet satellites, is set to launch at 5:14 p.m. PT, just hours before the Hawthorne launch.

SpaceX’s Starlink constellation currently consists of satellites orbiting Earth at an altitude of approximately 340 miles. Designed to provide high-speed internet coverage worldwide, these satellites are best seen as a train of lights moving across the night sky shortly after sundown or before sunrise. The satellites reflect direct sunlight despite the sun being below the horizon at these times.

To find the best upcoming viewing times for the Starlink satellites, one can use the FindStarlink tracker.

The post Southern California Night Owls May Witness SpaceX Rocket Launch appeared first on ISP Today.