The streak of the launch from California of a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a batch of 20 Starlink satellites is seen above homes and the Red Cliffs Utah Temple in St. George, Monday. (Submitted photo, St. George News)
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ST. GEORGE — With its reuse, launches of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from the West Coast might seem routine, but they still provoke a “What was that?” reaction while streaking across the southern Utah sky.
Such was the case Monday night as the launch of a rocket carrying a new batch of internet satellites for Starlink, which like SpaceX is owned by Elon Musk, launched from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base near Santa Barbara, California, at 8:28 p.m. MDT.
Like other recent Falcon 9 launches in a southeast trajectory from Vandenberg near Santa Barbara, California, the launch was not only visible to those in Southern California but also in southern Utah, Nevada and Arizona.
Eagle-eyed locals actually had two space treats. At the exact moment the launch took place in California, the International Space Station could be seen sailing directly overhead according to data from NASA.
Read the full article and view the photo gallery at St. George News.
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Dr. Sarah Adams is a scientist and science communicator who makes complex topics accessible to all. Her articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
