Because of Arizona’s proximity to Vandenberg, there’s a good chance people can see a rocket in the sky, especially at night or very early morning.
If you’re looking for a fun way to close out your weekend, consider catching a rocket launch from Southern California.
The latest SpaceX mission to propel a group of Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit is due to get off the ground Sunday, Sept. 28, from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County.
The good news? The commercial spaceflight company’s Falcon 9 rocket is easily seen across a wide section of California – and often Arizona. The bad news? This time around, an afternoon launch window may be convenient for families with kids, but daylight could interfere with spectators’ views the farther they are from Vandenberg.
That means Arizonans may struggle to see the Falcon 9 from their home state.
One more thing to keep in mind: Postponements due to weather or issues with rockets are common with spaceflight, but don’t let that possibility spoil your rocket-viewing plans. Check back with azcentral.com for any updates on the impending launch.
In the meantime, here’s what to know about the launch from Southern California, as well as when and where to potentially spot the rocket in Arizona.
What time is the SpaceX rocket launch from California?
SpaceX is working toward a Sunday, Sept. 28, launch of its Falcon 9 rocket from the Vandenberg Space Force Base. The four-hour launch window opens at 4:32 p.m. PT, according to SpaceX.
A Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory suggests a backup opportunity is available the next day if the launch were to be postponed.
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 in California. Most launches from Vandenberg fly at a south or southeast trajectory.
What is the next mission launching from Vandenberg? SpaceX to deploy Starlink satellites
SpaceX will launch its 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
As with most SpaceX missions, the launch will be available to stream on the company’s website and its new X TV mobile app, beginning about five minutes before liftoff. SpaceX may also provide 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, ArizonaPapago Park, 625 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, ArizonaFountain Hills, a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, which in 2018 was designated a Dark Sky Community with little light pollutionSuperstition Mountains, located 40 miles from metro Phoenix in ArizonaCave Creek, a town in Maricopa County about 30 miles north of Fountain Hills, ArizonaPhoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, 3400 Sky Harbor Blvd., Arizona, which has a parking garage that is popular for plane-watchingBlack Canyon City, an unincorporated community in Yavapai County, ArizonaAny mountain park in ArizonaEstrella Mountain Regional Park, 14805 W. Vineyard Ave., Goodyear, ArizonaSkyline Regional Park, 2600 N. Watson Road, Buckeye, ArizonaWhite Tank Mountains, 20304 W. White Tank Mountain Road, Waddell, ArizonaSan Tan Mountain Regional Park, 6533 W. Phillips Road, Queen Creek, ArizonaMonument Hill, a 150-foot slope on 115th Avenue, in ArizonaCasa Grande, a city in Pinal County, approximately halfway between Phoenix and TucsonWhat 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 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 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.
Residential plans for Starlink services start at $80 per month.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com