A SpaceX launch at Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County could produce a rattling sonic boom later this week.
SpaceX hopes to launch the Falcon 9 rocket from the coastal military base on Tuesday at 3:20 p.m.
The launch is part of the ESA EarthCARE mission which will deploy four scientific instruments into orbit to research the “role that clouds and aerosols play in regulating Earth’s climate.”
As part of the launch, the Falcon 9’s first stage will attempt to land safely on SpaceX’s landing zone at Vandenberg.
That landing process utilizes boosters that break the sound barrier and are capable of creating sonic booms that can be heard for miles.
Residents in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties may be able to hear those sonic booms during the landing, depending on weather conditions.
The launch itself will be dependent on the weather, and officials said a Wednesday backup launch will take place at the same time as Tuesday’s if it ends up being scrapped.
The Falcon 9 launch can be streamed online beginning 15 minutes prior to liftoff.