A SpaceX rocket is scheduled to launch from the Santa Barbara County coast a few minutes after sunset on Wednesday and fly over the Southern California coast.
Falcon 9 rocket launch Scheduled for 7:48 p.m At Vandenberg Space Force Base northwest of Los Angeles. The rocket will carry 20 Starlink internet satellites into low Earth orbit.
The backup release window opens at 10:30 p.m
Launching takes place after sunset and just before sunrise, and usually provides the best views. The Falcon 9 rocket and its exhaust plume are illuminated by the setting sun against a dark sky, as they did during the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch on February 8.
The sun will set in Los Angeles on Wednesday at 7:43 PM and skies are expected to be clear.
The first stage booster will land on a drone in the Pacific Ocean after separation.
SpaceX plans to launch 23 Starlink satellites into orbit Another launch earlier on Wednesday From Florida.
The exhaust plume from a SpaceX rocket can be seen across Southern California on Monday, March 18, 2024.
SpaceX has a Starlink constellation of satellites that orbit Earth at an altitude of about 340 miles, and are transported into space by the company’s rockets. The Starlink network is designed to provide high-speed internet anywhere in the world.
If lighting conditions are right, satellites appear on the train as they are viewed across the night sky. Satellites are sometimes visible in the first few minutes after sunset and before sunrise when the sun is below the horizon, but the satellites are high enough to reflect direct sunlight.
Use the FindStarlink tracker To find the best upcoming viewing times.
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