A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch scheduled for Saturday night may create a spectacular light show and sonic booms audible across Southern California. The launch is set to take place at approximately 10:13 p.m. from Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc in Santa Barbara County.
The mission aims to deploy a series of satellites into low Earth orbit for internet provider OneWeb. However, for residents across the region, the most notable aspects may be the visual and auditory effects.
As the rocket ascends, it could produce a stunning light display visible for hundreds of miles. More dramatically, about eight minutes after liftoff, the Falcon 9's first stage is expected to return to Earth, attempting to land back at Vandenberg. This re-entry process may generate one or more sonic booms as the rocket decelerates to subsonic speeds.
Sonic booms occur when an object travels faster than the speed of sound, creating shock waves that produce a distinctive thunderclap-like sound. The intensity and range of the boom can vary depending on atmospheric conditions and other factors. In some past launches, these booms have been powerful enough to rattle windows across a wide area, while in others, the effect has been more localized to Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
This launch marks the seventh flight for this particular Falcon 9 first stage booster, which has previously supported multiple missions including several Starlink satellite deployments.
SpaceX has announced that in case of any last-minute issues, a backup launch window is available on Sunday at 10:08 p.m. The company plans to stream the event live on social media platforms starting shortly before liftoff.
Residents in Southern California are advised to be prepared for potential sonic booms late Saturday night, understanding that the sounds are a normal part of the rocket's return process and not cause for alarm.