SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket could be visible over Arizona: Where, when to look up
The first of three upcoming SpaceX Starlink missions got off the ground on the night of Tuesday, July 15. Now, Elon Musk's commercial spaceflight company could soon get another of its Falcon 9 rockets off the ground from the Vandenberg Space Force Base to deploy more of the internet-beaming satellites.
The launch site itself may be across state lines, but Arizonans could still have a chance to see the rocket itself soaring overheard.
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.com for any updates on the rocket launch.
Here's what to know about the launch from Southern California, as well as when and where to watch it in neighboring Arizona:
California rocket launches: SpaceX rocket launches have increased in California, and not all residents are happy
What time is the SpaceX rocket launch from California?
The launch is being targeted for 8:51 p.m. PT Friday, July 18, according to a launch alert from the Vandenberg Space Force Base.
If needed, additional launch opportunities are available starting at 9:26 p.m. PT Saturday, July 19.
Where is the next rocket launch from California?
The launch will take place from Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California. Most launches from Vandenberg fly at a south or southeast trajectory.
What is the next mission launching from Vandenberg?
The spaceflight will make use of the company's famous two-stage 230-foot Falcon 9 rocket, one of the world's most active, to deliver 24 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit.
The altitude is low enough to allow for things like satellites to circle Earth fairly quickly.
How to watch SpaceX Starlink launch livestream
SpaceX will provide a webcast of the Starlink launch on its website beginning about five minutes before liftoff, along with updates on social media site X.
California rocket launch could be visible in Arizona: Where to watch
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
What is SpaceX?
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 additionally benefits from billions of dollars in contracts from NASA and the Department of Defense by providing launch services for classified satellites and other payloads.
What is Starlink?
Owned by SpaceX founder Elon Musk, Starlink is a constellation of more than 7,000 satellites that provide internet service to customers around the world. SpaceX has spent more than six years delivering the satellites to orbit with a regular cadence of rocket launches from both 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.
This article has been updated to add new information.
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: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket may be seen over Arizona: Where, when
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