Following an early morning scrub, SpaceX still has at least two rocket launches planned in the week ahead in California.
The commercial spaceflight company's Falcon 9 rocket was due to get off the ground early Monday, Oct. 5 at the Vandenberg Space Force Base
before an automatic last-minute abort was triggered. SpaceX did not provide a reason for the delay, but said in a post on X that "vehicle and payload are in good health."The launch of that mission, a military satellite delivery, was postponed about 24 hours. Then this weekend, SpaceX is eyeing another Starlink satellite deployment mission.
Californians – and potentially Arizonans – making their plans to watch any launches should keep in mind that lots can change between now and when each
rocket is expected to lift off, as delays in spaceflight are common. Be sure to visit VC Star for the latest mission updates.
In the meantime, here's your weekly look at the upcoming launch schedule at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County.
Tuesday, Oct. 6: SDA's 4th Tranche 1
- Agency: SpaceX
- Mission: Deploy the fourth of ten batches of Tranche 1 military satellites for the Space Development Agency's layered network of satellites, according to SpaceX
- Rocket: Falcon 9, a 230-foot, two-stage reusable rocket capable of carrying more than 50,000 pounds of cargo to low-Earth orbit
- Launch window: 12:59 to 1:21 a.m. PT, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026
- Rocket launch location: Space Launch Complex 4E from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California
- Booster landing: Return to base for a landing at Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4)
Saturday, Oct. 10: Starlink 15-25
- Agency: SpaceX
- Mission: Deploy 27 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit, according to SpaceX
- Rocket: Falcon 9, a 230-foot, two-stage reusable rocket capable of carrying more than 50,000 pounds of cargo to low-Earth orbit
- Launch window: 4 to 8 p.m. PT Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026
- Rocket launch location: Space Launch Complex 4E from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California
- Booster landing: SpaceX drone ship, nicknamed "Of Course I Still Love You," in the Pacific Ocean
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's Falcon 9 due for launch in California. Here's the schedule
