More SpaceX rockets to soar over California: How and when to watch

The torrid pace of rocket launches from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base continues this week and next with two more scheduled SpaceX missions. Another is planned for later this month.

Weather permitting, a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a train of 28 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit will launch Tuesday sometime after 6 p.m. Pacific. Starlink is the company’s satellite internet network that delivers high-speed broadband to remote and underserved areas. More than 8,400 are orbiting the earth today.

This will be the 29th launch of the same Falcon 9 first stage booster, which will then land on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship in the Pacific Ocean, according to SpaceX.

“There is the possibility that residents of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties may hear one or more sonic booms during the launch, but what residents experience will depend on weather and other conditions,” the aerospace company said.

A live webcast of the launch will be available on the SpaceX website and on the social media platform X. Both SpaceX and X are owned by billionaire Elon Musk.

On Oct. 14, another Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to launch a Tranche 1 satellite built by the Space Development Agency (SDA) at 4:11 p.m. from Vandenberg SFB. Then, on Oct. 30, SpaceX plans to launch another train of Starlink satellites from the Central California base. That launch time is still to be determined.

The launches are often visible across the Southwestern United States and Mexico as the rockets soar more than 200 miles above the Earth to deliver their payloads. The best places to view them are often from beaches and parks — or anywhere with a clear view of the western sky

Last week, Vandenberg set a new record with its 52nd launch of the year – a record that dated back to the height of the Cold War. Experts believe the base will host more than 70 launches by the end of 2025.