West Coast Falcon 9 rocket to launch 27 Starlink satellites

Launch fans along the 805, get ready for another late-night show. SpaceX is set to loft another batch of Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base late Monday local time, according to Spaceflight Now.

The mission at a glance

The Starlink 15-16 mission is scheduled to lift off from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at 10:46 p.m. PDT (1:46 a.m. EDT / 0546 UTC). The Falcon 9 will carry 27 Starlink satellites and head south-east from the Central Coast, targeting an orbit inclined 70 degrees to the equator.

For longtime Vandenberg watchers, that trajectory is worth noting. While many West Coast Starlink missions ride south toward polar orbits, this one's south-easterly path means the flame trail should be visible streaking across the sky for viewers from Santa Barbara to Lompoc and beyond — weather cooperating, of course. As always, find a spot with a clear view to the south and give your eyes a few minutes to adjust.

A workhorse booster flying for the 26th time

The first stage, booster B1082, is making its 26th flight on this mission — a remarkable testament to SpaceX's reflight program. Spaceflight Now reported that the booster entered service in January 2024 and has previously launched the USSF-62, OneWeb Launch 20, NROL-145 and Transporter-18 missions, along with 21 batches of Starlink V2 mini satellites.

That résumé makes B1082 a familiar sight for Central Coast launch fans, several of whose prior missions flew from Vandenberg itself. After separation, the booster will target a landing on the drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You," stationed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja California, Mexico.

Because the booster is heading to a drone ship rather than returning to Landing Zone 4, this launch should be a quieter affair — no sonic boom rumbling across Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, which residents sometimes experience with return-to-launch-site landings.

Satellite deployment and what to watch for

Deployment comes a bit later than on a typical Starlink flight. About an hour into the mission, following a short circularization burn, the stack of 27 satellites will be released from the Falcon 9's second stage, Spaceflight Now reported.

The satellites are Starlink V2 Mini Optimized spacecraft, continuing the rapid buildout of SpaceX's broadband constellation. Vandenberg has become a workhorse pad for these West Coast Starlink missions, with SLC-4E handling a steady cadence alongside the base's national security launches.

How to follow the launch

Spaceflight Now will carry live coverage starting about 30 minutes before liftoff. Locally, keep an eye on the skies around 10:46 p.m. PDT — Falcon 9 ascents from SLC-4E are often visible up and down the Central Coast, and a nighttime launch like this one tends to put on the best show, with the exhaust plume illuminated high above the horizon.

As with any launch, the schedule can shift with range, weather, or technical factors, so check for updates before heading out to your favorite viewing spot.