Los Angeles, Ca
Southern California skies light up with SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch
A SpaceX launch Sunday night lit up the Southern California skies.
Liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket at Vanderberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County happened just before 9 p.m., creating bright, pluming fiery streaks in the skies over the Southland shortly thereafter.
The rocket was carrying 20 Starlink satellites, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities, to low-Earth orbit.
Starlink is SpaceX’s satellite network designed to bring low-cost internet service to rural/remote communities.
After launching vertically, the Falcon began a gradual turn while continuing to climb into orbit. Following stage separation after liftoff, the Falcon’s reusable booster made a pinpoint landing back on the spaceport drone ship, “Of Course I Still Love You,” which is stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
SpaceX said this is the 11th flight for the first-stage booster rocket.