What: Falcon 9 rocket
When: 6:08 p.m. Saturday, according to SpaceX. If needed, the team has a backup opportunity starting at 6:08 p.m. Sunday.
Where: Space Launch Complex-4 on South Base.
Landing: The first-stage booster, making its 21st flight, will return to Landing Zone 4, west of the launch site, on South Base about eight minutes after liftoff.
Residents in Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties will hear one or more sonic booms approximately 8–10 minutes after liftoff with the sound depending on weather and atmospheric conditions.
Why: Deliver the COSMO-SkyMed Next Generation mission for the Italian Space Agency and the Italian Ministry of Defence.
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.