SpaceX Prepares for Historic 500th Falcon Launch from Vandenberg

Upcoming Launch of SpaceX Falcon 9: A Milestone Event

SpaceX is set to livestream its upcoming mission, starting around five minutes before the scheduled liftoff. Viewers can tune in via X @SpaceX or through the newly launched X TV app. This mission, known as Starlink 11-22, marks the 500th orbital launch of SpaceX’s Falcon rocket series, including the Falcon 1, Falcon 9, and Falcon Heavy.

The Falcon 9 rocket, which is targeted to launch from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, is scheduled for liftoff at 4:40 p.m. PDT (7:40 p.m. EDT, 2340 UTC) on Wednesday. Notably, this date coincides with the 15th anniversary of the inaugural Falcon 9 launch, underscoring a significant milestone in SpaceX's development.

Details of the Mission

This mission will utilize the first stage booster, tail number B1063, which will undertake its 26th flight. This booster has an impressive history, having previously launched a variety of missions, including:

• Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich
• DART
• Transporter-7
• Iridium OneWeb
• SDA-0B
• NROL-113
• NROL-167
• NROL-149
• 17 Starlink missions

Once the first stage completes its mission, it will attempt to land on its floating droneship, Of Course I Still Love You, located in the Pacific Ocean. If successful, this will be the 134th landing on this droneship and the 457th landing overall for SpaceX's boosters.

Potential Impact on Local Residents

Residents in the nearby areas of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties may experience sonic booms during the launch, though actual experiences will vary based on weather conditions and other variables.

Recent Successes and Future Delays

As 2025 progresses, SpaceX continues to build on its legacy with this mission, which also serves as the company's 50th launch of its Starlink satellite constellation. Just a few days prior, SpaceX successfully conducted a hold-down engine firing at the Kennedy Space Center, paving the way for a separate mission that involves a classified U.S. government payload named Zuma.

The upcoming launch is part of a busy period for SpaceX, which has not only embraced commercial payloads but has also contributed to critical missions for international space agencies. As it approaches this significant launch number, all attention will be on SpaceX to ensure that this milestone is achieved with the precision and efficiency that the industry has come to expect.