The next rocket launch from the Vandenberg Space Force Base will be a little different from the typical SpaceX Starlink satellite deployment.
For the first time since January, a SpaceX mission from California will end with the commercial spaceflight company attempting to land the booster stage of its Falcon 9 rocket back at the Santa Barbara County launch site. The feat is far from unheard of for SpaceX, but the method of recovering the lower stage of the rocket is far less common for the company than its typical procedure: landing the booster on a barge in the Pacific Ocean and towing it back to shore.
If you live near the launch site or want to see liftoff in person, you may need to note two caveats: First, it may cause sonic booms that will be extra loud for residents, and it requires closing a popular area for spectators to watch launches from Vandenberg.
But if you just want to be sure to watch the mission online to see the up-closer booster landing, SpaceX will have you covered with a livestream of the mission.
Here’s everything to know about the latest SpaceX mission, and how to watch a webcast of the Falcon 9 launching in Santa Barbara County.
Is there a rocket launch today? Next liftoff from California
SpaceX is working toward a launch from Southern California, with a short 37-minute launch window open from 11:59 p.m. Saturday, May 2 to 12:36 a.m. PT Sunday, May 3. The launch will take place from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County.
A Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory suggests a backup opportunity is available the next day if the launch were to be postponed.
What is CAS500-2? SpaceX to launch rideshare mission
SpaceX will launch its famous two-stage 230-foot Falcon 9 rocket, one of the world’s most active, on a rideshare mission to deploy multiple satellites, including an Earth-imaging CAS500-2 satellite to low-Earth orbit for South Korea’s Korea AeroSpace Administration.
How to watch SpaceX launch livestream
Californians, of course, have plenty of opportunities to see a rocket in person both near the launch site as it lifts off, and further away as it soars overhead.
But SpaceX also provides a live webcast of its missions for those who prefer to watch from home or for those viewing the launch locally and looking for updates in real-time.
As with most SpaceX missions, the launch will be available to stream on the company’s website and its new X TV mobile app, beginning about five minutes before liftoff. SpaceX may also provide updates on social media site X.
Does Elon Musk own SpaceX? What to know about rocket company
SpaceX is the commercial spaceflight company that billionaire Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, founded in 2002 and leads as the CEO.
SpaceX is headquartered at Starbase in South Texas near the U.S.-Mexico border. The site, which is where SpaceX has been conducting routine flight tests of its 400-foot megarocket known as Starship, was recently voted by residents to become its own city.
As a major government contractor, SpaceX serves as the launch service provider for a variety of government missions both civil and military.
For the Department of Defense, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 helps launch classified satellites and other payloads into space. And for NASA, Falcon 9 most often helps propel astronauts to the International Space Station on SpaceX’s Dragon crew capsule – the only U.S vehicle capable of carrying NASA astronauts to orbit.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: SpaceX to land Falcon 9 booster at Vandenberg after next launch. Watch
Reporting by Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY NETWORK / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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