SpaceX delays Starlink mission from California again. Will it be visible in Arizona?
But that doesn't mean the commercial spaceflight company founded by billionaire Elon Musk hasn't tried.
SpaceX has been attempting to launch its Falcon 9 rocket since Aug. 9 on a mission to deploy internet-beaming Starlink satellites from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County. That mission has so far been postponed three times, which appears to have caused a ripple effect for the remainder of the missions scheduled for August at the company's launch pad at the California base.
For neighboring Arizonans hoping to glimpse the site of the spacecraft soaring overhead, the moving schedule may have caused some confusion.
Here's everything to know about where things stand with SpaceX rocket launches at Vandenberg.
When is the next rocket launch from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California?
SpaceX is now working toward a Wednesday, Aug. 13, liftoff of its Falcon 9 rocket from the Vandenberg Space Force Base, with a four-hour launch window opening at 8:44 p.m. PT, the base said in a launch alert.
The two-stage 230-foot Falcon 9 rocket, one of the world's most active, is scheduled to deliver 24 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit – an altitude low enough to allow for things like satellites to circle Earth fairly quickly.
As with most SpaceX missions, the launch will be available to stream on the company's website beginning about five minutes before liftoff. SpaceX may also provide updates on social media site X.
1st SpaceX Starlink launch of August delayed 3 times in California: What we know
The mission, known as Starlink 17-4, has been postponed three times since its original target date of Aug. 9. Vandenberg and SpaceX had also been planning for the mission to get off the ground Aug. 11, then Aug. 12 before both attempts were scrubbed.
No reasons have been provided for the delays.
A spokeswoman for Vandenberg deferred questions to SpaceX when reached Wednesday, Aug. 13, by the USA TODAY Network.
What other missions are scheduled for August so far?
SpaceX had also been planning another Starlink deployment mission, 17-5 in the same week of August. The company has not yet updated the mission's target launch date online, but multiple websites that track rocket launches suggest it's scheduled for Friday, Aug. 15.
The launch window could possibly open at 8:44 a.m. PT.
Vandenberg has not yet officially announced the launch, which is also not listed on a Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory.
Here's a look at other missions planned for the month:
Tuesday, Aug. 19: Starlink 17-6
Thursday, Aug. 21: Starlink 17-7
Sunday, Aug. 24: Bandwagon 4
Where to watch rocket launches in Arizona
Because of Arizona's proximity to the launch site, there's a good chance people there can see the spacecraft streak across the sky, especially at night or very early morning.
Here's a list of some possible viewing locations compiled by The Arizona Republic, a USA TODAY Network publication.
Dobbins Lookout, South Mountain, 10919 S. Central Ave., Phoenix, Arizona
Papago Park, 625 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, Arizona
Fountain Hills, a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, which in 2018 was designated a Dark Sky Community with little light pollution
Superstition Mountains, located 40 miles from metro Phoenix in Arizona
Cave Creek, a town in Maricopa County about 30 miles north of Fountain Hills, Arizona
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, 3400 Sky Harbor Blvd., Arizona, which has a parking garage that is popular for plane-watching
Black Canyon City, an unincorporated community in Yavapai County, Arizona
Any mountain park in Arizona
, 14805 W. Vineyard Ave., Goodyear, Arizona
, 2600 N. Watson Road, Buckeye, Arizona
, 20304 W. White Tank Mountain Road, Waddell, Arizona
, 6533 W. Phillips Road, Queen Creek, Arizona
Monument Hill, a 150-foot slope on 115th Avenue, in Arizona
Casa Grande, a city in Pinal County, approximately halfway between Phoenix and Tucson
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: SpaceX rocket launch delayed again in California. Will Arizona see it?
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