California SpaceX Starlink's final launch of 2024 is scheduled for Saturday evening

The final Falcon 9 launch of the Starlink low-orbit satellites this year is scheduled to launch from California on Saturday, according to SpaceX.

The launch window for 22 Internet Communications System satellites is between 5:48 p.m. and 9:31 p.m. PST. on Saturday, Dec. 28, from Vandenberg Space Force Base.

If necessary, additional launch options will be available beginning Sunday, December 29th at 5:12 p.m. PST.

Because the launch occurs just after sunset, there’s a better chance of looking up into the sky and observing the “twilight phenomena” that resemble clouds of gas, called nebulae, deep in space.

As the chemicals from the rocket’s exhaust freeze and float through the atmosphere like clouds, the sun’s rays also shine through them. The light is then refracted by the frozen chemicals into different wavelengths, creating spectacular color displays.

Where can you watch the Space X launch?

Launches from Vandenberg, outside Lompoc, and the spiraling exhaust trails they leave behind are often visible throughout Southern California. Loud bangs from Falcon 9’s reusable first stage may rattle local windows as the stage tilts for a landing on an autonomous barge off the California coast.

Residents of Ventura County, High Desert and Coachella Valley should look west to see the launch and colorful display.

A live webcast of the SpaceX mission begins approximately five minutes before launch and can be viewed on X @SpaceX or spacex.com.

Related:Elon Musk wants the FAA to let SpaceX conduct more Starship tests in 2025: What that means

The launch marks the 16th flight of the first booster stage in support of this mission, which previously launched SARah-2, Transporter-11, SDA-0A and 12 Starlink missions.

After the stage separation, the first stage will land on the drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You,” which will be stationed in the Pacific.

A busy introductory year for Space X

On December 24, Digital Trends reported that SpaceX had its busiest year yet for rocket launches. The Elon Musk-led space company conducted 129 Falcon 9 launches, two Falcon Heavy launches and three Starship launches.

The Falcon rocket flights were primarily to deploy satellites for Starlink, SpaceX’s internet-from-space service. But there were also more than 20 launches for a number of commercial customers, up from 12 in 2023.

Digital Trends reported that the number of government contract launches rose to around 18 this year.

SpaceX’s 2025 campaign

SpaceX officials expect 2025 to be even busier, with the goal of serving more customers than ever before.

SpaceX also wants to intensify testing of its powerful Starship rocket. According to Digital Trends, up to 25 launches are planned next year.

So far, the rocket has only flown six times, with the first launch taking place in April 2023. SpaceX already has approval for the spacecraft’s seventh test flight, which some reports suggest could take place in early January.

The Starship rocket is reported to produce a record 17 million pounds of thrust when lifted off the ground.

SpaceX

Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation service provider headquartered in Hawthorne, California.

SpaceX was founded in 2002 by entrepreneur Elon Musk to reduce the cost of space transportation and enable the colonization of Mars.

SpaceX operates from many launch sites, including the Florida-based SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and the historic LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center.

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