Get ready for liftoff, California! The next rocket launch from the state is on tap for later today.
SpaceX is planning to get its Falcon 9 rocket off the ground once again from the Vandenberg Space Force Base.
The commercial spaceflight company is targeting an afternoon liftoff for what would be the 70th rocket launch of 2026 at Vandenberg. That means Vandenberg is well on track to set a new rocket launch record this year after 71 rocket launches were notched in 2025.
Want to keep up with the latest on the mission before liftoff?
Here's everything you need to know to track the next California rocket launch.
When is the next California rocket launch?
The next California rocket launch is targeted for Thursday,
Oct. 15, with a four-hour window open from 4:44 to 8:44 p.m. PT, according to a launch alert.
Where is liftoff?
The launch will take place from Space Launch Complex 4-East (SLC-4E,) which SpaceX leases as a launch site for its Falcon 9 rocket at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County.
What is the mission? SpaceX to conduct classified military launch
SpaceX, the commercial spaceflight company founded by Elon Musk, plans to launch another classified mission for the U.S. Space Force, this one known as USSF-481. Multiple spaceflight outlets have reported that the mission could be the delivery of a batch of military satellites that will operate in low-Earth orbit – a region closer to Earth's atmosphere.
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.
In this case, the rocket's booster that provides the initial burst of thrust at liftoff will be making its 28th flight.
Weather favorability: Here's the forecast during the launch window
The weather is forecasted to be sunny and mostly clear during the Oct. 15 launch window for Santa Barbara County, where the Vandenberg Space Force Base is located, according to the National Weather Service.
When are the backup launch opportunities if it scrubs?
Rockets often aren't able to get off the ground within a target launch window for a variety of factors, including bad weather or technical issues detected with the spacecraft. If a launch is scrubbed, that means an attempt to start the mission was canceled for the day and a new date and time will have to be selected.
A Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory suggests a backup opportunity is available the next day if the launch were to be postponed again. According to SpaceX, the backup launch would be targeted for 4:35 p.m. PT Friday, Oct. 16.
What is the trajectory?
The rocket will fly at a southern trajectory.
Where is the booster landing?
Following the launch, the Falcon 9 rocket's booster will aim to land on a SpaceX drone ship, nicknamed "Of Course I Still Love You," in the Pacific Ocean. This allows for SpaceX personnel to recover the booster so it can be reused in future spaceflights.
Will there be sonic booms?
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 – are always possible for rocket launches. 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.
Residents of Santa Barbara County, San Luis Obispo County and Ventura County often stand to be the most likely to hear sonic booms, SpaceX has said. Vandenberg has previously indicates that the booms can take place up to 10 minutes after liftoff.
Meanwhile, "areas local to Vandenberg Space Force Base will hear the initial low rumble of take-off," Vandenberg also has warned before launches.
Where can I watch rocket launches from the Vandenberg Space Force Base?
Plenty of places around California have become popular among spectators to catch the sight of a rocket launch, whether they want to be up close and personal as it thunders off the launch pad, or farther away as it soars overhead.
The below guides should help you find a popular location near you in California:
- Near Vandenberg, including Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties;
- Near Palm Springs;
- Around Arizona.
Will a livestream be available?
SpaceX will stream the launch on the company's website beginning about 10 minutes before liftoff. SpaceX may also provide updates on social media site X.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch today. How to track California liftoff
