SpaceX Targets Monday Afternoon Starlink Launch From Vandenberg
The Falcon 9 is set to carry 27 Starlink satellites to orbit between 4 and 8 p.m. PT from Space Launch Complex 4-East, two days after Saturday's successful military satellite launch.
SpaceX is targeting Monday afternoon for its next launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base, a Falcon 9 flight carrying 27 Starlink internet satellites into low-Earth orbit. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 4-East (SLC-4E) is scheduled between 4 and 8 p.m. PT, the company announced, the Ventura County Star reported.
The mission would be the first Starlink deployment from Vandenberg since Sept. 19, the Star reported. A Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory indicates a backup launch opportunity is available Tuesday if Monday's attempt is postponed. SpaceX planned a southeast flight trajectory for the Monday mission.
Monday's flight would come just two days after SpaceX successfully launched a military payload from the same pad. Early Saturday morning, a Falcon 9 lifted off from SLC-4E carrying 21 data transport satellites for the Space Development Agency, the agency announced Oct. 10. The Northrop Grumman-built satellites are the fourth orbital plane of the agency's Tranche 1 transport layer and bring the total number of Tranche 1 satellites on orbit to 84.
“This launch marks the delivery of satellites built by the third of four vendors selected to field Tranche 1 of the proliferated LEO architecture,” said GP Sandhoo, the Space Development Agency director and Space Force portfolio acquisition executive for missile warning and tracking. “SDA’s model emphasizes regular industry competition and vendor diversity. Our focus remains on rapid delivery of capabilities to support warfighter needs.”
Saturday's success followed a five-day wait: the mission was scrubbed three times after its initial Oct. 5 attempt, the Star reported, and the agency said the Falcon 9's automated systems halted that first countdown just before liftoff.
Weather could factor into Monday's Starlink attempt. The National Weather Service forecast for Santa Barbara County gives showers a chance through Monday in the launch window, and the Star noted that postponements for weather or rocket issues are common. Because Vandenberg is an active military base, the launch complex does not host public viewings, but launches from the base can be visible across Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties and as far away as Los Angeles when conditions are clear.
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