NASA’s historic Artemis II moon mission may be nabbing all the headlines, but it’s far from the only spaceflight on the books in the U.S.
In California, three rockets are scheduled to launch in the week ahead from the Vandenberg Space Force Base. For two of those missions, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket is due to lift off to deploy the company’s Starlink broadband internet satellites.
Multiple websites that track rocket launches also suggest that Northrop Grumman is planning a national defense mission from the West Coast. The mission is also listed on the planning advisory for the Federal Aviation Administration, which licenses commercial rocket launches.
Californians – and potentially Arizonans – making their plans to watch any launches should keep in mind that lots can change between now and when each rocket is expected to lift off, as delays in spaceflight are common. Be sure to visit VC Star for the latest mission updates.
In the meantime, here’s your weekly look at the upcoming launch schedule at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County.
Monday, April 6: Starlink 17-35
Tuesday, April 7: STP-S29A
Thursday, April 9: Starlink 17-21
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Vandenberg rocket launch schedule. Here’s what’s due for liftoff
Reporting by Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY NETWORK / Ventura County Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
