Is there a SpaceX rocket launch today? How, where to see liftoff in Arizona
SpaceX's next mission launching from Southern California won't be to deploy its own Starlink satellites, but instead dozens of satellites for paying customers.
The commercial spaceflight company founded by billionaire Elon Musk is planning to get another Falcon 9 rocket off the ground from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County.
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is seen from Arizona after launching from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on June 18, 2024. The rocket was carrying 20 Starlink satellites.
It is, however, 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:
What time is the SpaceX rocket launch from California?
A Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory indicates the launch is scheduled for Saturday, June 21, with backup opportunities available Sunday, June 22.
Neither SpaceX nor Vandenberg Space Force Base have officially confirmed the launch.
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?
SpaceX will conduct a dedicated rideshare flight on its famous Falcon 9 rocket to deliver dozens of small satellites for paying customers to a sun-synchronous orbit, meaning they will match Earth's rotation around the sun.
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 the payloads on behalf of both commercial and government entities.
How to watch SpaceX Starlink launch livestream
SpaceX typically provides a livestream of launches 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
- Estrella Mountain Regional Park, 14805 W. Vineyard Ave., Goodyear, Arizona
- Skyline Regional Park, 2600 N. Watson Road, Buckeye, Arizona
- White Tank Mountains, 20304 W. White Tank Mountain Road, Waddell, Arizona
- San Tan Mountain Regional Park, 6533 W. Phillips Road, Queen Creek, Arizona
- Monument Hill, a 150-foot slope on 115th Avenue, in Arizona
What is SpaceX?
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.
This article has been updated to add new information.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Is there a SpaceX rocket launch today? How, where to see liftoff in Arizona
