SpaceX will attempt Sunday the first Falcon 9 missile on the west coast

SpaceX is aiming for an evening launch on Sunday (October 7th) for its next Falcon 9 rocket flight, a mission that will also mark the first landing of the west coast earthquake. The rocket will take off from the SpaceX base at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

"This will be SpaceX 's first landing attempt at Vandenberg Air Force Base," air force officials said in a statement. "Residents of the area can see the first phase of the Falcon 9 return to Vandenberg Air Force Base, with several motor burns related to the landing." During the landing attempt, residents of the counties of Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo can hear one or more sonic booms. "

Smoke invaded the Falcon 9 on Tuesday, October 2, while it was briefly fired during a preflight test conducted from SpaceX's SLC-4E launch pad at Vandenberg. After delaying the 24-hour launch for preflighting, it is now ready to launch Sunday night. The brief ignition, called the static fire test, is one of the last important milestones in launch preparations, ensuring that all systems are functioning properly and that the rocket and runway are ready to launch. [Inside SpaceX’s Epic Fly-Back Reusable Rocket Landing (Infographic)]

The launch, carrying an Argentinian Earth Observation satellite, is not expected to take place before 19:21. PDT on October 7th (02h21 GMT on October 8th). This flight will mark SpaceX's first launch from its West Coast launch facilities since July 25th.

This launch will also be the second reflection of a first stage of Block 5 Falcon 9: the same rocket – known as SpaceX under number B1048 – had already launched 10 Iridium Next satellites in orbit on July 25th.

The SAOCOM-1A satellite of the Argentine Space Agency, with a capacity of 1,600 kg, is part of the future six-satellite constellation that will work in concert with the Italian constellation COSMO-SkyMed. The satellite consortium will take high resolution images of the Earth twice a day.

This flight is also one of a kind, as it will be the first time that a Falcon 9 will attempt to land at the launch site (RTLS) on the west coast, instead of landing on the west coast. One of the drones of the company at sea. Until now, all landings on firm ground were carried out in landing zones 1 and 2 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida.

With nearly 30 landings to its credit, SpaceX has proven that recovering first-floor boosters was a kid's game, but this landing could prove a little more complicated: the launch pad does not have a landing point. is only a quarter of a mile (or about 400 meters) from it. – A striking contrast with Cape Canaveral, where the two landing areas of the company are several kilometers away.

SpaceX could also activate its fairing capture boat, Mr Steven, who has so far failed to grab a piece of the nose cone from the rocket when It descends to Earth. This is another aspect of SpaceX's efforts to reduce launch costs by reusing the rocket as much as possible.

If this fifth recovery attempt succeeds, it could be the last trifecta of SpaceX launch.

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