Three rocket launches are scheduled for the upcoming week from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base.
NASA’s historic Artemis II moon mission may be nabbing all the headlines, but it’s far from the only spaceflight on the books in the U.S.
In California, three rockets are scheduled to launch in the week ahead from the Vandenberg Space Force Base. For two of those missions, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket is due to lift off to deploy the company’s Starlink broadband internet satellites.
Multiple websites that track rocket launches also suggest that Northrop Grumman is planning a national defense mission from the West Coast. The mission is also listed on the planning advisory for the Federal Aviation Administration, which licenses commercial rocket launches.
Californians – and potentially Arizonans – making their plans to watch any launches should keep in mind that lots can change between now and when each rocket is expected to lift off, as delays in spaceflight are common. Be sure to visit VC Star for the latest mission updates.
In the meantime, here’s your weekly look at the upcoming launch schedule at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County.
Monday, April 6: Starlink 17-35
- Agency: SpaceX
- Mission: Deploy 25 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit, according to SpaceX
- Rocket: Falcon 9, a 230-foot, two-stage reusable rocket capable of carrying more than 50,000 pounds of cargo to low-Earth orbit
- Launch window: 4:03 to 8:03 p.m. PT Monday, April 6, 2026
- Rocket launch location: Space Launch Complex 4E from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California
- Booster landing: SpaceX drone ship, nicknamed “Of Course I Still Love You,” in the Pacific Ocean
Tuesday, April 7: STP-S29A
- Agency: Northrop Grumman
- Mission: Deliver multiple small satellites known as cubesats to low-Earth orbit as part of a mission under the Pentagon’s Space Test Program
- Rocket: Minotaur IV, a 78-foot rocket consisting of four stages capable of delivering 3,814 pounds of cargo to low-Earth orbit.
- Launch window: 4:30 to 8:45 a.m. PT Tuesday, April 7, 2026, according to a launch alert
- Rocket launch location: Space Launch Complex 8 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California
Thursday, April 9: Starlink 17-21
- Agency: SpaceX
- Mission: Deploy 25 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit, according to SpaceX
- Rocket: Falcon 9, a 230-foot, two-stage reusable rocket capable of carrying more than 50,000 pounds of cargo to low-Earth orbit
- Launch window: 7:39 to 11:39 p.m. PT Thursday, April 9, 2026
- Rocket launch location: Space Launch Complex 4E from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California
- Booster landing: SpaceX drone ship, nicknamed “Of Course I Still Love You,” in the Pacific Ocean
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com
