SpaceX launch lights up Southern California sky
A Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket lit up the Southern California sky after a launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base Monday night.
The Falcon 9 rocket, which was carrying 22 Starlink satellites to low-earth orbit, lifted off the Starlink 7-16 mission from Space Launch Complex 4 East at 7:28 p.m., according to SpaceX.
This is the 10th launch for the Falcon 9 first stage booster, which has launched seven other Starlink missions and two missions for the U.S. Space Development Agency.
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket seen moments before launch on Mar. 18, 2024. (SpaceX) SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket seen over Southern California on Mar. 18, 2024. (KTLA) SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket seen over Southern California on Mar. 18, 2024. (KTLA) Exhaust trail from a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch on Mar. 18, 2024. (KTLA)
People across Southern California witnessed the stunning spectacle as a bright plume lit up the twilight sky, leaving a long trail of exhaust in its wake.
6th grade girl brutally attacked by classmate at Southern California school
The launch also marks the 26th successful mission for SpaceX this year, with 16 of those flights including Starlink payloads, adding to Starlink’s “Mega-Constellation” of more than 5,500 satellites already in orbit.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
