Home » Santa Clarita News » Community News » SpaceX Rocket Launch Seen In Santa Clarita (VIDEO)

SpaceX Rocket Launch Seen In Santa Clarita (VIDEO)

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket out of Vandenberg Air Force Base Sunday night, and residents from Santa Clarita were able to see the rocket in the night sky for a few moments.


Sponsored Articles


Don’t miss a thing. Get breaking KHTS Santa Clarita News Alerts delivered right to your inbox.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket using a previously flown first stage was launched Sunday night to boost an Argentine environmental satellite into orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

The rocket’s first stage then turned around and returned to the launch site, marking the first such landing on the west coast for SpaceX, according to officials.

https://www.facebook.com/khtsradio/videos/234150197453307/

SpaceX first landed a Falcon 9 booster in December of 2015 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Since then, the company has achieved more than 10 successful landings at the Air Force Station and another 18 on off-shore droneships, according to SpaceX officials.

However, the flight’s primary goal was to boost Argentina’s SAOCOM 1A satellite into an orbit around Earth’s poles. Officials say that the satellite is the first of two orbital radar stations capable of “seeing” through clouds and at night to measure soil moisture, a key indicator of crop yields, droughts and floods.

Argentina’s National Commission on Space Activities, or CONAE, is set to operate the two SAOCOM satellites in cooperation with the Italian Space Agency’s COSMO-SkyMed radar satellites.

The launch and subsequent landing of the rocket caused several sonic booms for nearby residents.

“Local residents may see the first stage of the Falcon 9 returning to Vandenberg AFB, including multiple engine burns associated with the landing,” officials with the Air Force said on their website. “During the landing attempt residents from Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties may hear one or more sonic booms.”

According to officials, Sunday’s launch marked SpaceX’s 17th flight this year, as well as the company’s 44th successful launch in a row.

Report a typo or error, email Corrections@hometownstation.com

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

KHTS FM 98.1 & AM 1220 - Santa Clarita News - Santa Clarita Radio

SpaceX Rocket Launch Seen In Santa Clarita (VIDEO)

One comment

  1. Soooo, this is an independent, non-government agency that launches these rockets? In this case, for countries outside the U.S.? Why does this strike me as ‘uncomfortable’?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Michael Brown

Michael Brown has lived in Santa Clarita his whole life. Graduating from Saugus High School in 2016, he continued to stay local by attending The Master’s University, where he achieved a Bachelor's Degree in Communication. Michael joined KHTS in January of 2018 as a news intern, and has since gone on to become the News Director for the KHTS Newsroom. Since joining KHTS, Michael has covered many breaking news stories (both on scene and on air), interviewed dozens of prominent state and federal political figures, and interacted with hundreds of residents from Santa Clarita. When he is not working, Michael enjoys spending time with his family, as well as reading any comic book he can get his hands on.