What: Falcon 9 rocket 

When: 5:29 a.m. Sunday, according to SpaceX. If needed, the team has backup opportunities starting at 5:08 a.m. Monday.

Where: Space Launch Complex-4 on South Base at Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Landing: The first-stage booster, making its 12th flight, will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship positioned in the Pacific Ocean. A sonic boom is possible in Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties, but will depend on weather and other conditions, SpaceX said.

Why: Deliver more National Reconnaissance Office satellites to orbit for a mission dubbed NROL-145. Another Falcon 9 rocket conducted a similar mission April 12 from Vandenberg, successfully placing more than 20 satellites into orbit.

Watch: A live webcast of the mission is scheduled to begin about 10 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.