SpaceX is preparing to launch a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 27 Starlink satellites on Friday from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California

SpaceX is ready to light up the skies with a Falcon 9 launch, propelling 27 Starlink satellites into orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, on Friday, May 23, 2025.

The rocket is slated to thunder off at 1:36 p.m. Pacific Time (4:36 p.m. Eastern Time, or 2:06 a.m. IST on May 24, 2025, based on your current time of 12:48 p.m. IST).

If the schedule shifts, alternate launch windows are available until 5:36 p.m. PT on May 23, with further opportunities on Saturday, May 24, starting at 1:14 p.m. PT. Tune in to the high-energy live webcast, kicking off five minutes before launch, on SpaceX’s website, X (@SpaceX), or the sleek X TV app.

This mission marks the 18th adventure for the Falcon 9’s first-stage booster, a seasoned veteran that’s powered missions like SDA-0A, SARah-2, Transporter-11, and 14 prior Starlink flights.

After splitting from the rocket, the booster will gracefully descend to land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship in the Pacific Ocean, roughly eight minutes after liftoff.

Folks in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties might catch the dramatic boom of sonic shockwaves during the booster’s return, with the sound’s reach and volume influenced by weather elements like cloud density, wind gusts, or atmospheric shifts.

These sonic booms, sparked by the booster’s supersonic plunge through the atmosphere, ripple out as thunderous blasts. Their impact varies crisp, clear skies can make them ring louder, while overcast conditions or breezy weather might soften or scatter the sound.

Vandenberg officials say these booms are standard for SpaceX landings, but locals have voiced worries about their effects on the environment and structures, especially with SpaceX’s push for up to 100 annual launches from Vandenberg, as debated in recent U.S. Air Force forums.

The Starlink network, now soaring past 7,000 satellites at about 341 miles above Earth, is redefining global internet access. This launch fuels SpaceX’s grand vision of scaling to 42,000 satellites, though it stirs concerns about space clutter and the toll of sonic booms on nearby ecosystems and communities.

If you’re itching to see the spectacle, prime spots include 13th Street and Arguello Boulevard, Floradale Avenue and West Ocean Avenue, or Surf Beach near Vandenberg, if the weather cooperates.

With launches happening roughly every 7.3 days from Vandenberg in 2025, SpaceX is showcasing its game-changing reusable rocket tech and cementing its role in commercial and government space missions.