On January 24, 2025, Erik Olson, a Shell Beach resident, took remarkable photos of the Falcon 9 rocket launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The launch took place at dawn, with Olson describing it as 'particularly impressive' due to the atmospheric conditions which enhanced the rocket's contrails. The mission involved launching 23 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit, marking the fourth launch for SpaceX from Vandenberg in 2025. The company shared a full-length video of the event on social media.
“The predawn light and the moisture in the atmosphere really enhanced the contrails,” he told The Tribune. “It looked like the rocket just missed the moon and then when the first stage re-enter(ed) the atmosphere, it gave quite the show.”
This was the fourth launch from Vandenberg so far in 2025 and the 23rd flight supporting this mission, according to the SpaceX website.
Shell Beach resident Erik Olson captured impressive photos from his balcony of the Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket launch out of the Vandenberg Space Force Base at the crack of dawn on Jan. 24, 2025.
SpaceX posted a full length video of the launch on X.
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