Could a California rocket launch be visible in Arizona? Where to See SpaceX Falcon 9
The first SpaceX rocket to launch in June from California could soon be streaking through the skies, and Arizonans just might have a chance to see it.
The commercial spaceflight company's Falcon 9 rocket, which got off the ground six times in May from Southern California, is due to make its next orbital delivery of Starlink satellites as early as Tuesday, June 3. Liftoff, as usual, will take place from the Vandenberg Space Force Base.
The two-stage 230-foot-tall rocket, one of the world's most active, has become crucial in regularly deploying batches of internet-beaming Starlink satellites into what's called low-Earth orbit — an altitude that allows for things like satellites to circle Earth fairly quickly.
But it's important to keep in mind that rocket launches can be — and often are — scrubbed or delayed due to any number of factors, including poor weather conditions or unexpected issues with spacecraft. Check back with azcentral for any updates on the impending rocket launch.
Because of the launch site's proximity, Arizona residents across a large swath of the state may be able to witness the rocket soaring overhead.
Here's what to know about the launch, as well as when and where to watch it:
A SpaceX rocket could get off the ground as early as Tuesday, June 3, with backup opportunities available Wednesday, June 4, according to a Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory.
Multiple online websites that track rocket launch schedules suggest the launch window lasts from 4:50 to 8:50 p.m. PT. Neither Vandenberg Space Force Base nor SpaceX has officially confirmed the launch.
The launch, using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to deliver the Starlink satellites, will take place from Launch Complex 4E from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California.
Following the delivery and deployment of the satellites, the Falcon 9 rocket's booster will aim to land on a SpaceX drone ship, nicknamed "Of Course I Still Love You," in the Pacific Ocean. This allows for SpaceX personnel to recover the booster so it can be reused in future spaceflights.
SpaceX will provide a livestream of the launch on its website beginning about five minutes before liftoff, along with updates on social media site X.
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
Space Exploration Technologies Corp., more widely known as SpaceX, is an astronautics company owned and co-founded by Elon Musk, the world's richest man.
The commercial spaceflight company is contracted with NASA and the Department of Defense to use many of its spacecraft to help launch government missions. SpaceX also conducts many of its own rocket launches — most using its two-stage Falcon 9 rocket — including for private crewed missions and to deliver communication satellites to orbit.
Owned by SpaceX founder Elon Musk, Starlink is a constellation of more than 6,700 satellites that provide internet service to customers around the world.
SpaceX, a commercial spaceflight company, has spent more than six years delivering the satellites to orbit with a regular cadence of rocket launches from Florida and California.
While most satellite internet services operate from single geostationary satellites orbiting Earth at about 22,236 miles, Starlink is a constellation of thousands of satellites that operate from a low-Earth orbit, about 341 miles up. That allows Starlink's satellites to have lower latency and data time between user and the satellite, improving performance of things like streaming, online gaming and video calls.
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: California rocket launch: SpaceX Falcon 9 could be seen in Arizona
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