SpaceX is set to carry out a classified mission for the U.S. Space Force this weekend. The launch is scheduled for 4:47 p.m. Saturday from Vandenberg Space Force Base on the Central Coast. If weather conditions force a delay, a backup window is available at 2:38 p.m. on Sunday.
While the specific nature of the payload remains private, industry reports suggest the Falcon 9 rocket will likely deploy a series of military satellites into low-Earth orbit. This mission marks the 18th flight for the first-stage booster assigned to the task. That same booster has previously supported various government and commercial ventures, including past NROL missions and multiple Starlink deployments.
Local residents in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties may notice significant noise during the operation. SpaceX warned that the rocket’s first-stage booster returns through the atmosphere at supersonic speeds, which often produces sonic booms. The volume of these sounds depends heavily on current weather patterns and atmospheric conditions at the time of the event.
SpaceX plans to provide a livestream of the ascent starting 10 minutes before liftoff. Following stage separation, the booster is scheduled to land on the 'Of Course I Still Love You' droneship stationed in the Pacific Ocean. Observers located at a distance from the base may also be able to spot the rocket as it climbs into the sky.