Falcon 9 Launch Set for Early Saturday Morning at Vandenberg

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the USSF-385 mission is scheduled to launch from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base on Saturday, September 26, with a three-hour launch window opening at 5:56 a.m. Pacific Time. If needed, a backup window is available Sunday, September 27, starting at 5:49 a.m.

Details about the payload have not been publicly released and are likely classified, as with previous Space Force missions. SpaceX will stream the launch live beginning about ten minutes before liftoff on their platforms.

Booster Recovery and Sonic Booms

After first-stage separation, the Falcon 9 booster will return to Earth and land on the Of Course I Still Love You drone ship waiting in the Pacific Ocean. This will be the tenth flight for this particular booster, which previously launched NROL-95 and eight Starlink missions.

Residents across the region may hear one or more sonic booms during the launch, though how far the sound travels will depend on weather and atmospheric conditions. For more space news from Vandenberg, visit /news.

Facts via KEYT.