SpaceX is planning for a Falcon 9 launch of the USSF-423 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Monday, Nov. 2. With a launch window opening at 5:42 p.m. PST, evening twilight conditions could create another glowing space jellyfish
visible across much of the American West.
USSF-423 Mission Timeline at Vandenberg Space Force Base
The scheduled Falcon 9 liftoff carries the USSF-423 payload for the USSF. Operations are slated to begin with a four-hour launch window starting at 5:42 p.m. PST on Monday, Nov. 2. Observers across a wide swath of the western United States will have a chance to look upward during this twilight period.
Because Daylight Savings time has ended and our clocks have fallen back, sunset occurs sooner, aligning the launch window with twilight conditions that provide ideal visibility for the space jellyfish.
That seasonal timing creates optimal conditions for rocket exhaust visibility. Even though ground-level darkness will prevail, the ascending rocket plume will remain illuminated by the sun high above, allowing spectators hundreds of miles away to witness the luminous space jellyfish.
Viewing Forecasts Across Western States
Visibility for the twilight launch depends heavily on regional weather patterns. Storm systems that moved through the region over the weekend are clearing out, leaving favorable conditions in some areas while cloud cover threatens to obstruct the view elsewhere.
- Clear skies: Arizona, New Mexico, and southern Utah will benefit from the complete departure of recent weekend storms, resulting in pristine skies and ideal viewing conditions for the liftoff.
- Potential obstruction: Parts of southern California, including Los Angeles, as well as Las Vegas and Salt Lake City are forecast to have some clouds in the sky during the launch, but there should be enough breaks in the clouds to still spot the
space jellyfish.
- Poor conditions: Western Nevada and northern California locations such as San Francisco face heavy cloud cover that may severely hamper your view of the
space jellyfish,
though precipitation is thankfully absent from the weather outlook. - Storm interference: Monday night will bring active storms to Colorado, generating rain and high-elevation snowfall across the area that will likely prevent you from seeing any part of the launch.
