What: Alpha rocket launch at Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County.

When: Between 5:50 p.m. and 7:50 p.m. as soon as Monday, according to Firefly Aerospace. If needed, the team has backup opportunities during the same time period Tuesday.

Where: Space Launch Complex-2.

Landing: No landing will occur.

Why: The Stairway to Seven mission is a demonstration flight to achieve successful first- and second-stages performances as planned. Firefly also intends to validate key systems ahead of the debut of an updated version of the rocket.  

Watch: A live webcast of the mission is scheduled to begin about 20 minutes before liftoff the Firefly Aerospace You Tube page by clicking here,

To watch the liftoff in person, the Lompoc Valley has multiple locations offering views of the launch pad. Those include the peak of Harris Grade Road, west of Lompoc’s city limits and around Vandenberg Village, including near the intersection of Moonglow and Stardust roads. 

Vandenberg launches close to sunset or sunrise can be especially picturesque. If skies are clear, the rocket’s departure might be visible from elsewhere around California and, under certain conditions, other Western states.

Upcoming Launches: SpaceX plans another Starlink mission at Vandenberg between 3:58 and 7:58 a.m. Thursday.

Additional, Falcon launches with Starlink satellites on board are planned March 15 and March 19 at Vandenberg.

As a reminder, launches can get delayed for a number of reasons including technical troubles, unfavorable weather and scheduling issues.