A scheduled SpaceX launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base Thursday morning is likely to produce one or more sonic booms audible to nearby communities, according to base officials.
SpaceX is targeting May 2 for a Falcon 9 rocket launch from Space Launch Complex 4 East to carry a batch of Maxar WorldView Legion satellites to low-Earth orbit.
The Maxar 1 mission is comprised of two multi-imagery satellites intended for deployment.
The 14-minute window opens at 11:36 a.m., and a backup launch opportunity is available Friday, May 3 at the same time.
About eight minutes after liftoff, Falcon 9’s first stage will return to base and land at SpaceX’s Landing Zone 4, resulting in one or more sonic booms during the landing depending on weather conditions and other variables, according to base officials.
The two satellites being launched Thursday are the first of six in the Maxar constellation. Once complete, the constellation of electro-optical satellites could triple the agency's intelligence capabilities by imaging "the most rapidly changing areas on Earth as frequently as every 20 to 30 minutes, from sunup to sundown," the agency reported.
Lisa André covers lifestyle and local news for Santa Ynez Valley News and Lompoc Record, editions of the Santa Maria Times.
