US EditionLate-Night SpaceX Launch Could Bring Sonic Booms to California Coast
The mission carries South Korea’s CAS500-2 satellite and 44 other payloads, with booster B1071 targeting a landing at LZ-4.
- On Sunday, May 3, 2026, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base carrying 45 payloads, including South Korea's CAS500-2 Earth-imaging satellite destined for low-Earth orbit.
- Originally scheduled for 2022 on a Russian rocket, the CAS500-2 mission faced years of delays due to Russia's war against Ukraine; sanctions forced SpaceX to assume the launch instead.
- Falcon 9 booster B1071 makes its 33rd flight, while the mission carries 44 additional payloads including satellites from Loft Orbital and True Anomaly's Jackal spacecraft, described as an "autonomous orbital vehicle."
- Following first-stage separation, booster B1071 will attempt landing at Landing Zone 4 at Vandenberg Space Force Base, a maneuver potentially causing sonic booms for nearby residents viewable via SpaceX's livestream.
- SpaceX continues serving as a critical launch provider for commercial and government entities, with this mission demonstrating the company's capability to efficiently deploy 45 payloads into orbit from a single launch.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Korea launches next-generation satellite on SpaceX Falcon 9
A Korean Earth-observation satellite has been launched into low-Earth orbit from a U.S. base. SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California, at 11:59 p.m. Saturday (local time), carrying 45 payloads. The mission has been dubbed CAS500-2, after the primary satellite called Compact Advanced Satellite (CAS) 500-2 from Korea Aerospace Industries. The next-generation midsized satellite No. 2 wa…
Late-night SpaceX launch could bring sonic booms to California coast
Residents along California’s Central Coast may hear sonic booms late Saturday night as SpaceX prepares to launch a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The company is targeting an 11:59 p.m. PT liftoff on May 2 for its CAS500-2 mission, with a 37-minute launch window and a backup opportunity scheduled for Sunday at [...]
Live coverage: SpaceX to launch South Korean Earth observation satellite, plus 44 more payloads on overnight Falcon 9 rideshare mission
A Falcon 9 rocket stands poised to launch from the Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. File Photo: SpaceX SpaceX will launch 45 payloads on an overnight rideshare mission aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Station early Sunday morning. The mission, dubbed CAS500-2, is named for the primary payload called Compact Advanced Satellite 500-2 from the Korea Aerospace Industries, Ltd. (KAI). It’s the …
SpaceX set to launch Korean research satellite Sunday morning from Vandenberg; sonic boom expected
This is a return-to -base landing, and nearby residents should expect to hear one or more sonic booms Sunday morning, approximately 8–10 minutes after liftoff, as the Falcon 9 first stage returns to base and lands at Landing Zone 4…
The Desert Sun
Ventura County StarSpaceX to land Falcon 9 booster at Vandenberg after next launch. Watch
SpaceX will attempt an uncommon land-based booster landing for its Falcon 9 rocket launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Here's how to watch.
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