SpaceX is planning a Friday the 13th rocket launch from California.
If all goes to plan, the commercial spaceflight company’s Falcon 9 rocket is due to get off the ground from the Vandenberg Space Force Base on an overnight mission to deploy Starlink internet satellites to space.
If you want to catch a site of the two-stage rocket blasting off and climbing into the sky, you’ll either have to stay up late or wake up pretty early. Fortunately, because SpaceX always provides a livestream, you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your bed – let alone your home – if you really want to see liftoff.
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 Friday, March 13, launch from Southern California, with a four-hour launch window opening at 3:58 a.m. PT. 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 launching from Vandenberg? Falcon 9 to deploy Starlink satellites
SpaceX will launch its famous two-stage 230-foot Falcon 9 rocket, one of the world’s most active, to deliver 25 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit, an altitude nearer Earth’s atmosphere where they’re able to circle the planet quickly.
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.
What is SpaceX?
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.
What is Starlink?
Starlink is SpaceX’s internet satellite business.
With nearly 10,000 satellites in its growing orbital constellation, Starlink has become a lucrative part of Musk’s business empire, serving millions of customers around the world.
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 plans Friday the 13th launch at Vandenberg. How to watch
Reporting by Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY NETWORK / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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