[Launch Alert] Thursday Launch

[Launch Alert]

Vandenberg SFB has announced that a Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled for launch Thursday evening (January 9) from Vandenberg SFB, Calif. The vehicle is slated to lift off from south base at 7:52 p.m. Pacific Time and carry the NROL-153 mission into orbit. At T+8 minutes the first stage is scheduled to land on a drone ship far south of the launch site.

Weather permitting, the launch could be visible to the unaided eye over a wide area. Observers with an unobstructed southern or southwestern horizon in Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties and Baja California may briefly see the first stage entry burn low in the sky prior to landing on the drone ship.

People in coastal Santa Barbara and Ventura counties may hear a sonic boom from the rocket several minutes after liftoff.

For countdown status and video feeds of the launch, go to:

https://spaceflightnow.com

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=nrol-153

https://twitter.com/SpaceX

This information is subject to change.