What: Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County.
When: Between 11:59 p.m. Saturday and 12:36 a.m. Sunday, according to SpaceX. If needed, the team has backup opportunities during another 37-minute window opening at the same time Sunday night and extending into Monday morning.
The launch timing is based off orbital requirements essential to inserting the CAS500-2 payload in a sun-synchronous orbit, Vandenberg officials said.
Where: Space Launch Complex-4 on the South Base.
Landing: More than seven minutes after liftoff, the first-stage booster, making its 33rd flight, will return to Landing Zone 4, just west of the launch site.
Residents in Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties will hear one or more sonic booms eight to 10 minutes after liftoff with the sound depending on weather and atmospheric conditions.
Why: Deliver the South Korean Compact Advanced Satellite 500. Built by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, CAS500 is an Earth-observation satellite.
The rideshare mission also includes dozens of other payloads, Argotec S.r.l, Exolaunch, Impulso.Space, Loft-EarthDaily, Lynk Global, True Anomaly and Planet Labs.
Watch: A live webcast of the mission is scheduled to begin about 15 minutes before liftoff at spacex.com/launches and on X @SpaceX
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 additional Falcon rocket liftoffs from Vandenberg for Starlink missions on Tuesday and May 9.
Launches can get delayed for a number of reasons, including technical troubles with the rocket, payload or support equipment; unfavorable weather; and scheduling issues.