The first day of October could also see SpaceX's first rocket launch of the month in California.
Are you ready for liftoff? The commercial spaceflight company's Falcon 9 rocket is due to once again get off the ground at the Vandenberg Space Force Base, potentially putting on a show across the region as it climbs to orbit.
The mission: deliver payloads for paying customers in the latest in a series of Transporter rideshare missions.
Some Californians may want to see liftoff in person, but for those who prefer a livestream, SpaceX will have you covered.
Here's everything to know about the latest SpaceX mission, and how to watch a webcast of the Falcon 9 launching in Santa Barbara County.
milestone launch?
Is there a rocket launch today? Next mission from California
SpaceX is working toward a Thursday, Oct. 1, launch from Southern California, with a 58-minute launch window opening at 11:18 a.m. PT. The launch will take place from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County.
A Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory suggests a backup opportunity is available the next day if the launch were to be postponed.
What is the next Vandenberg launch? What to know about Transporter-18
SpaceX will conduct a rideshare mission known as Transporter-18.
The 130 payloads, including small satellites and orbital vehicles for paying customers, are due to be deployed into a sun-synchronous orbit, meaning they match Earth's rotation around the sun. The mission comes after SpaceX launched Transporter-17 at the beginning of July, which carried 81 total payloads to orbit.
What rocket is launching? What to know about Falcon 9
The mission will use SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. The two-stage, 230-foot rocket is the most active rocket in the world, having launched hundreds of times from both Florida and California.
How to watch SpaceX launch livestream
Californians, of course, have plenty of opportunities to see a rocket in person both near the launch site as it lifts off, and farther away as it soars overhead.
But SpaceX also provides a live webcast of its missions for those who prefer to watch from home or for those viewing the launch locally and looking for updates in real-time.
As with most SpaceX missions, the launch will be available to stream on the company's website beginning about 15 minutes before liftoff. SpaceX may also provide updates on social media site X.
Photos of SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in California, US
Where is the booster landing? What to know about booster re-entry
Following the launch and stage separation, the Falcon 9 rocket's booster will aim to return to the launch site to land at Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4) at the Vandenberg Space Force Base. While SpaceX most often has boosters land on its drone ship offshore, this method still allows personnel to recover the booster so it can be reused in future spaceflights.
Will there be sonic booms?
Residents of Santa Barbara County, San Luis Obispo County and Ventura County often stand to be the most likely to hear sonic booms, SpaceX said.
The sonic booms – brief, thunder-like noises that are often heard from the ground when a spacecraft or aircraft travels faster than the speed of sound – could last for up to 10 minutes after liftoff, Vandenberg has added.
That's because the booster falls back through the atmosphere still traveling at supersonic speeds and, as it slows down, generates shock waves that sound like one or more loud booms on the ground.
Meanwhile, "areas local to Vandenberg Space Force Base will hear the initial low rumble of take-off," Vandenberg also warns before launches.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: SpaceX eyes large rideshare mission at Vandenberg. Time, how to watch
