What time is liftoff? SpaceX Falcon 9 is set to blast off from Vandenberg, sending Starlink satellites into space. People from Phoenix to Waddell, Arizona, could potentially see it.

play

SpaceX rocket shines above Phoenix after liftoff

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 was visible over parts of Arizona after it launched from California.

For the sixth and likely last time in June, SpaceX is planning to launch a Falcon 9 rocket from Southern California.

And like all but one of the commercial spaceflight company’s missions this month from the state, the rocket will carry a batch of Starlink satellites for deployment into low-Earth orbit.

The impending rocket launch, which could take place on a weekend morning, comes days after SpaceX’s rideshare known as Transporter 14 also got off the ground from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County. For that mission, a Falcon 9 rocket delivered 70 payloads to orbit for paying customers, including 166 capsules containing human remains bound for a cosmic memorial service.

Though it’ll be harder in the daytime, people in Arizona have a shot at catching a glimpse of the rocket soaring through the sky.

But it’s 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:

California rocket launches: Here’s a look at the upcoming SpaceX schedule from Vandenberg

What time is the SpaceX rocket launch from California?

The launch window is open from 9:47 to 10:46 a.m. PT Saturday, June 28, according to a launch alert from the Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Backup opportunities are also available Sunday, June 29, according to a Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory.

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?

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 26 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit.

The altitude is low enough to allow for things like satellites to circle Earth fairly quickly.

How to watch SpaceX Starlink launch livestream

SpaceX will provide livestream of the launch 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.

What is SpaceX?

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, founded SpaceX in 2002.

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.

What is Starlink?

Owned by SpaceX founder Elon Musk, Starlink is a constellation of more than 7,000 satellites that provide internet service to customers around the world. SpaceX has spent more than six years delivering the satellites to orbit with a regular cadence of rocket launches from both Florida and California.

While most satellite internet services operate from single geostationary satellites orbiting Earth at about 22,236 miles, Starlink is a constellation of thousands of satellites that operate from a low-Earth orbit, about 341 miles up. That allows Starlink’s satellites to have lower latency and data time between user and the satellite, improving performance of things like streaming, online gaming and video calls.

This article has been updated to add new information.

Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com