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3 days ago
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SpaceX to launch rocket from California: Where, how to see Falcon 9 in Arizona
Another SpaceX rocket is due to launch over the weekend from Southern California, but Arizonans will most likely have to wake up pretty early to see it. The commercial spaceflight company's Falcon 9 rocket is due to get off the ground as early as Sunday, June 8, from the Vandenberg Space Force Base. And according to SpaceX and Vandenberg, the rocket launch is targeted for early in the morning. 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. Early bird Arizona residents across a large swath of the state may be able to witness the rocket soaring overhead once it gets off the ground from the neighboring state. Here's what to know about the launch, as well as when and where to watch it: Is there a rocket launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, liftoff schedule from Vandenberg, California The SpaceX launch could happen as early as Sunday, June 8, with backup opportunities available Monday, June 9, according to a Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory. A four-hour launch window opens at 6:34 a.m. PT Sunday,, according to a launch alert from the Vandenberg Space Force Base. The launch, using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to deliver 26 Starlink satellites, will take place from Launch Complex 4E at 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 provides 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 Elon Musk, the world's richest man, founded SpaceX in 2002. The commercial spaceflight company is headquartered at Starbase in South Texas near the U.S.-Mexico border. The site, which is where SpaceX has been conducting routine flight tests of its 400-foot megarocket known as Starship, was recently voted by residents to become its own city. SpaceX conducts many of its own rocket launches, most using the Falcon 9 rocket, from both California and Florida. That includes a regular cadence of deliveries of Starlink internet satellites into orbit, and occasional privately funded commercial crewed missions on the Dragon. The most recent of SpaceX's private human spaceflights, a mission known as Fram2, took place in April. SpaceX was also famously involved in funding and operating the headline-grabbing Polaris Dawn crewed commercial mission in September 2024. SpaceX also benefits from billions of dollars in contracts from NASA and the Department of Defense by providing launch services for classified satellites and other payloads. 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@ This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: SpaceX rocket launch: Where to see California liftoff in Arizona
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
SpaceX rocket launch to send more Starlink satellites to space: How to watch from Arizona
Don't worry: You didn't miss it. A SpaceX rocket launch that could be visible in Arizona was postponed a day and is now scheduled to get off the ground Friday, May 23. The impending launch from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Southern California was initially scheduled for liftoff Thursday, May 22, before officials announced it was pushed a day. No reason was given for the delay. Coming up, Elon Musk's commercial spaceflight company will attempt to send its famous Falcon 9 rocket on a trip to deploy another batch of 27 internet-beaming Starlink satellites into what's called low-Earth orbit – an altitude that allows for things like satellites to circle Earth fairly quickly. The mission would be the fourth such SpaceX launch this month from California. The good news for Arizonans? Because of the launch site's proximity to 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: The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is slated to get off the ground at 1:36 p.m. PT (4:36 p.m. ET) Friday, May 23, the Vandenberg Space Force Base said in an updated launch alert. Backup launch times are available until 5:36 p.m. PT. If SpaceX opts to scrub the launch, additional opportunities are available Saturday, May 24, starting at 1:14 p.m. PT. 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 said it 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 South 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 the Greater Phoenix area 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 located 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@ This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Rocket launch before Memorial Day: Liftoff may be visible in Arizona
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Starship launch: How to watch livestream of Elon Musk's SpaceX test from South Texas
SpaceX's gargantuan Starship rocket is due to once again get off the ground from Texas more than two months since its last launch. And for Elon Musk's commercial spaceflight company, the stakes are high. Starship's first two flight tests of 2025 – on Jan. 16 and again on March 6 – ended in dramatic explosions that sent cascades of fiery debris streaking across the sky. In both mishaps, the upper stage, the vehicle where astronauts and cargo would ride, came apart mere minutes into its flight instead of landing as planned in the Indian Ocean. The impending launch, which SpaceX officially announced on Friday, May 23 a day after getting key regulatory approval, could be visible halfway around the world as the 400-foot vehicle soars on a suborbital trajectory. But you can also watch the launch from the comfort of your own home, courtesy of a livestream provided by SpaceX. Here's everything to know about when and where to watch SpaceX conduct the ninth-ever Starship flight test from the company's Starbase. SpaceX Starship launch: Here's a recap of every previous Starship flight from South Texas SpaceX has announced that it is targeting Tuesday, May 27 for Starship's ninth flight test. Liftoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET from SpaceX's Starbase, the company's headquarters in Boca Chica about 23 miles from Brownsville near the U.S.-Mexico border. The news comes after the Federal Aviation Administration, which licenses commercial rocket launches, gave official approval Thursday, May 22 for SpaceX to launch Starship once again. The greenlight follows SpaceX completing an investigation into the most recent Starship launch on March 6, which ended with the vehicle's upper stage exploding for the second consecutive time. "Several hardware changes have been made to increase reliability," SpaceX said on its website in its announcement. SpaceX will host a livestream of the flight test that will begin about 30 minutes before liftoff. The webcast is available on its website and on social media platform X. Coverage will also be available on SpaceX's new X TV app. "As is the case with all developmental testing, the schedule is dynamic and likely to change, so be sure to check in here and stay tuned to our X account for updates," SpaceX said. SpaceX is developing Starship to be a fully reusable transportation system, meaning both the rocket and vehicle can return to the ground for additional missions. In the years ahead, Starship is intended to carry both cargo and humans to Earth's orbit and deeper into the cosmos. NASA's lunar exploration plans, which appear to be in jeopardy under President Donald Trump's proposed budget, call for Artemis III astronauts aboard the Orion capsule to board the Starship while in orbit for a ride to the moon's surface. But Musk is more preoccupied with Starship reaching Mars – potentially, he has claimed, by the end of 2026. Under his vision, human expeditions aboard the Starship could then follow in the years after the first uncrewed spacecraft reaches the Red Planet. Starship is regarded as the world's largest and most powerful launch vehicle ever developed. At more than 400 total feet in height, Starship towers over SpaceX's famous Falcon 9 rocket – one of the world's most active – which stands at nearly 230 feet. The launch vehicle is composed of both a 232-foot Super Heavy rocket and the 171-foot upper stage spacecraft, or capsule or crew and cargo would ride. Super Heavy alone is powered by 33 of SpaceX's Raptor engines. The upper section, also called Starship or Ship for short, is the upper stage powered by six Raptor engines that will ultimately travel in orbit. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: SpaceX Starship launch: Date, time, how to watch 9th flight test live
