SpaceX Rocket Launch Over Santa Barbara with Harvest Moon

SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket Tuesday night, October 7, deploying 28 Starlink V2 Mini satellites into low Earth orbit.

Liftoff occurred at 8:54 p.m. from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base, with the rocket following a south-easterly trajectory.

The mission used booster B1071, SpaceX’s second most-flown first stage, marking its 29th flight. About eight and a half minutes after launch, B1071 executed an autonomous landing on the drone ship Of Course I Still Love You—the vessel’s 156th successful recovery.

Here it is over Goleta about two minutes after liftoff with a beautiful Harvest Moon gazing at the dramatic night launch.