Eyes to the sky: Two Starlink Falcon 9 launches set to light up California coastline

Video above: This Nexstar Media video explains Starlink satellites.

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. — (FOX 5/KUSI) — SpaceX is gearing up for back-to-back rocket launches from California’s Central Coast, with not one but two Falcon 9 Starlink missions scheduled to roar into the skies from Vandenberg Space Force Base over the coming week.

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class="wp-block-heading">Launch No. 1: July 30

The countdown begins Wednesday, July 30, during a four-hour launch window between 8:39 a.m. and 12:39 p.m. According to SpaceX, this mission isn’t just another satellite delivery — it marks the 27th flight for the well-traveled Falcon 9 booster, a remarkable feat in reusable rocket technology.

This seasoned first stage has previously launched an impressive lineup, including classified payloads like NROL-87 and SARah-1, Earth science missions like SWOT, and more than a dozen previous Starlink satellite deployments. After stage separation, the booster will again attempt a pinpoint landing on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship, floating in the Pacific.

As the rocket climbs toward the edge of space, residents in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties may be treated to a rare sonic boom — or even multiple — depending on weather and atmospheric conditions.

Launch No. 2: Aug. 2

If you miss Wednesday’s launch, don’t worry — SpaceX has a second show scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 2, between 7:05 p.m. and 11:05 p.m. This evening launch could create a breathtaking twilight display as the Falcon 9 cuts through the fading sunlight, an increasingly popular phenomenon for skywatchers across Southern California.

This flight will carry 24 more Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit, adding to SpaceX’s ever-expanding constellation aimed at delivering global high-speed internet. It will also be the ninth flight for this particular booster, previously seen launching government missions like NROL-126 and SPHEREx, along with four earlier Starlink runs.

Like its July 30 counterpart, this booster will aim for a droneship landing, once again aboard the “Of Course I Still Love You,” stationed off the California coast.

How to watch

Can’t make it to the Central Coast? No problem. SpaceX will livestream both launches starting about five minutes before liftoff, on their official X account (@SpaceX) and the new X TV app.

Whether you’re a rocket enthusiast, a student of the stars, or just someone looking for a reason to step outside and look up — this week is your moment.