What: Falcon 9 rocket launch at Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County.

When: Between 4:30 p.m. and 8:03 p.m. Sunday, according to SpaceX. If needed, the team has backup opportunities during the same time period Monday.

Where: Space Launch Complex-4 on South Base.

Landing: The first-stage booster, making its first flight, will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship positioned in the Pacific Ocean.

Why: Deliver 25 satellites into orbit for the Starlink constellation. 

Watch: A live webcast of the mission is scheduled to begin about five 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: The manifest for the week also includes a Northrop Grumman Minotaur IV vehicle with a military payload known as the Space Test Program 29A (STP-29A) mission. That rocket could launch as soon as Tuesday.

That will be followed by another SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch between 7:39 p.m. and 11:39 p.m. as soon as April 9.

Launches can get delayed for several reasons, including technical troubles with the rocket, payload or support equipment; unfavorable weather; and scheduling issues. 

Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.