A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from California on Saturday and placed a constellation of satellites in orbit, marking the company’s first launch since a fireball engulfed a similar rocket on a Florida launch pad more than four months ago. The two-stage rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 9:54 a.m. carrying a payload for Iridium Communications Inc., which is replacing its entire global network with 70 next-generation satellites.
Category: Vandenberg Air Force Base
Weather Willing, SpaceX, Iridium Hope for Monday Blastoff at Vandenberg Air Force Base
With a Federal Aviation Administration license in hand and an on-pad test complete, a Falcon 9 rocket and its cargo are expected to blast off Monday from Vandenberg Air Force Base – but need Mother Nature to cooperate. Liftoff of the Space Exploration Technologies rocket is planned for 10:22 a.m. from Space Launch Complex-4 on South Base.
SpaceX gets green light days before scheduled launch
SpaceX has received the FAA go ahead to launch a fresh rocket into space, just days before it is scheduled to blast off. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will launch with 10 Iridium NEXT satellites.
SpaceX finds source of rocket explosion, plans new launch
SpaceX plans to resume flights as early as next week after finding the cause of an explosion that destroyed a rocket and satellite on a Florida launch pad in September. The Hawthorne, California-based company is aiming for a Sunday, Jan. 8, flight from Vandenberg Air Force Base, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday .