Talk about timing! SpaceX launched a rocket carrying a payload of satellites from the Central Coast at the same time as the Air Force was holding a public meeting on plans to ramp up the number of rocket launches.
The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force base at 6:54 Thursday night, with a payload of 26 small communications satellites. The reusable first-stage booster landed on a barge off the West Coast.
The Air Force had a hearing in Lompoc Thursday night on the expansion plan. The proposal is to tear down an old launch facility on the base and build a new facility designed for SpaceX launches.
With two launch pads, SpaceX plans to increase annual launches from the base to 100. But the proposal has created some concerns about noise and other environmental impacts.
The Air Force contends the additional impacts would be minimal and can be mitigated.
