A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lit up the Southern California skies on Monday night as it launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County. The rocket, which was delayed from its original Sunday launch, made its way into low-Earth orbit, carrying 23 Starlink satellites.
People in areas including Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, and parts of Los Angeles County were treated to a spectacular view of the fiery rocket trail. The first stage booster, which had its 23rd flight on this mission, successfully completed its journey and returned to the “Of Course I Love You” drone ship stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
Footage captured by Sky5 showed the rocket’s bright orange plume turning white-hot as it traveled across the sky. The mission, which lasted under 9 minutes, contributes to SpaceX’s goal of providing high-speed internet to remote and rural areas worldwide. With 445 successful missions, SpaceX continues to push the boundaries of space technology.
The entire launch was available for viewing through cameras at Vandenberg Space Force Base and the Falcon 9 rocket itself on SpaceX’s website.
