Falcon 9 launch planned for Thursday night with an on-base landing for assigned booster

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. – SpaceX announced a Falcon 9 launch of the NROL-57 mission on Thursday, March 20 at 11:49 p.m. from Vandenberg Space Force Base.

There is a backup window for the National Reconnaissance Office launch designated the next day, Friday, March 21 at 11:31 p.m. added SpaceX.

A live webcast of the launch will begin about ten minutes before liftoff and you can tune in to watch here.

Following mid-air separation, the reusable Falcon 9 booster assigned to this mission will return to land on Landing Zone 4 at Vandenberg Space Force Base which may cause one or more sonic booms depending on weather and other conditions explained SpaceX.

This will be the fourth launch for the Falcon 9 booster which previously launched NROL-126, Transporter-12, and the SPHEREx missions.