Launches · Falcon 9 · Vandenberg, California
Starlink Group 15-16: who could see the launch
SpaceX's Falcon 9 launched Starlink Group 15-16 from Vandenberg, California at 12:25 AM PDT on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
It most likely flew southeast, down the coast toward Baja California. The exact path isn't published, so a few places below are marked as depending on it.
It was dark by then, so the flame showed as a bright, moving light.
Best views: Los Angeles, San Diego, Tijuana and 20 more.
Low on the horizon from Phoenix, Juárez, San Jose and 22 more.
Can I see it from my city? 65 cities within 1,500 km
| City | Distance | Look toward | Highest | When | View | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lompoc, California | 14 km (9 mi) | up, toward the pad, then southeast | 57° | 12:26–12:34 AM PDT | Good view | 14 km (9 mi) · look up, toward the pad, then southeast · up to 57° · 12:26–12:34 AM PDT |
| Santa Maria, California | 39 km (24 mi) | southwest, moving southeast | 34° | 12:26–12:34 AM PDT | Good view | 39 km (24 mi) · look southwest, moving southeast · up to 34° · 12:26–12:34 AM PDT |
| Oxnard, California | 140 km (87 mi) | west, moving south | 44° | 12:27–12:34 AM PDT | Good view | 140 km (87 mi) · look west, moving south · up to 44° · 12:27–12:34 AM PDT |
| Bakersfield, California | 167 km (104 mi) | southwest, moving south | 24° | 12:27–12:34 AM PDT | Good view | 167 km (104 mi) · look southwest, moving south · up to 24° · 12:27–12:34 AM PDT |
| Thousand Oaks, California | 171 km (106 mi) | west, moving south | 39° | 12:27–12:34 AM PDT | Good view | 171 km (106 mi) · look west, moving south · up to 39° · 12:27–12:34 AM PDT |
| Santa Clarita, California | 191 km (119 mi) | west, moving south | 32° | 12:27–12:34 AM PDT | Good view | 191 km (119 mi) · look west, moving south · up to 32° · 12:27–12:34 AM PDT |
| Visalia, California | 223 km (139 mi) | southwest, moving south | 17° | 12:27–12:33 AM PDT | Good view | 223 km (139 mi) · look southwest, moving south · up to 17° · 12:27–12:33 AM PDT |
| Lancaster, California | 226 km (140 mi) | west, moving south | 26° | 12:27–12:34 AM PDT | Good view | 226 km (140 mi) · look west, moving south · up to 26° · 12:27–12:34 AM PDT |
| Los Angeles, California | 227 km (141 mi) | west, moving south | 34° | 12:27–12:34 AM PDT | Good view | 227 km (141 mi) · look west, moving south · up to 34° · 12:27–12:34 AM PDT |
| Long Beach, California | 243 km (151 mi) | west, moving south | 37° | 12:27–12:34 AM PDT | Good view | 243 km (151 mi) · look west, moving south · up to 37° · 12:27–12:34 AM PDT |
| Salinas, California | 246 km (153 mi) | southeast | 14° | 12:27–12:33 AM PDT | Low on the horizon | 246 km (153 mi) · look southeast · up to 14° · 12:27–12:33 AM PDT |
| Fresno, California | 247 km (153 mi) | south | 15° | 12:27–12:33 AM PDT | Good view depends on the path | 247 km (153 mi) · look south · up to 15° · 12:27–12:33 AM PDT |
| West Covina, California | 253 km (157 mi) | west, moving south | 31° | 12:27–12:34 AM PDT | Good view | 253 km (157 mi) · look west, moving south · up to 31° · 12:27–12:34 AM PDT |
| Anaheim, California | 263 km (163 mi) | west, moving south | 34° | 12:27–12:34 AM PDT | Good view | 263 km (163 mi) · look west, moving south · up to 34° · 12:27–12:34 AM PDT |
| Irvine, California | 278 km (173 mi) | west, moving south | 34° | 12:27–12:34 AM PDT | Good view | 278 km (173 mi) · look west, moving south · up to 34° · 12:27–12:34 AM PDT |
| Rancho Cucamonga, California | 283 km (176 mi) | west, moving south | 29° | 12:27–12:34 AM PDT | Good view | 283 km (176 mi) · look west, moving south · up to 29° · 12:27–12:34 AM PDT |
| Victorville, California | 304 km (189 mi) | west, moving south | 24° | 12:27–12:34 AM PDT | Good view | 304 km (189 mi) · look west, moving south · up to 24° · 12:27–12:34 AM PDT |
| Riverside, California | 305 km (190 mi) | west, moving south | 28° | 12:27–12:34 AM PDT | Good view | 305 km (190 mi) · look west, moving south · up to 28° · 12:27–12:34 AM PDT |
| San Jose, California | 322 km (200 mi) | south | 11° | 12:27–12:33 AM PDT | Low on the horizon | 322 km (200 mi) · look south · up to 11° · 12:27–12:33 AM PDT |
| Modesto, California | 336 km (209 mi) | south | 11° | 12:27–12:33 AM PDT | Low on the horizon | 336 km (209 mi) · look south · up to 11° · 12:27–12:33 AM PDT |
| Oceanside, California | 338 km (210 mi) | northwest, moving south | 34° | 12:27–12:34 AM PDT | Good view | 338 km (210 mi) · look northwest, moving south · up to 34° · 12:27–12:34 AM PDT |
| Temecula, California | 343 km (213 mi) | west, moving south | 30° | 12:27–12:34 AM PDT | Good view | 343 km (213 mi) · look west, moving south · up to 30° · 12:27–12:34 AM PDT |
| Fremont, California | 347 km (216 mi) | south | 10° | 12:27–12:32 AM PDT | Low on the horizon | 347 km (216 mi) · look south · up to 10° · 12:27–12:32 AM PDT |
| San Mateo, California | 360 km (224 mi) | southeast | 10° | 12:27–12:32 AM PDT | Low on the horizon | 360 km (224 mi) · look southeast · up to 10° · 12:27–12:32 AM PDT |
| Escondido, California | 366 km (227 mi) | northwest, moving south | 32° | 12:27–12:34 AM PDT | Good view | 366 km (227 mi) · look northwest, moving south · up to 32° · 12:27–12:34 AM PDT |
| Stockton, California | 375 km (233 mi) | south | 10° | 12:27–12:32 AM PDT | Low on the horizon | 375 km (233 mi) · look south · up to 10° · 12:27–12:32 AM PDT |
| San Diego, California | 384 km (239 mi) | northwest, moving south | 36° | 12:27–12:34 AM PDT | Good view | 384 km (239 mi) · look northwest, moving south · up to 36° · 12:27–12:34 AM PDT |
| San Francisco, California | 385 km (239 mi) | southeast | 9° | 12:27–12:32 AM PDT | Low on the horizon | 385 km (239 mi) · look southeast · up to 9° · 12:27–12:32 AM PDT |
| Concord, California | 393 km (244 mi) | south | 9° | 12:27–12:32 AM PDT | Low on the horizon | 393 km (244 mi) · look south · up to 9° · 12:27–12:32 AM PDT |
| El Cajon, California | 394 km (245 mi) | northwest, moving south | 33° | 12:27–12:34 AM PDT | Good view | 394 km (245 mi) · look northwest, moving south · up to 33° · 12:27–12:34 AM PDT |
| Tijuana, MX | 410 km (255 mi) | northwest, moving south | 36° | 12:27–12:34 AM PDT | Good view | 410 km (255 mi) · look northwest, moving south · up to 36° · 12:27–12:34 AM PDT |
| Vallejo, California | 413 km (257 mi) | south | 9° | 12:27–12:32 AM PDT | Low on the horizon | 413 km (257 mi) · look south · up to 9° · 12:27–12:32 AM PDT |
| Fairfield, California | 422 km (262 mi) | south | 9° | 12:27–12:32 AM PDT | Low on the horizon | 422 km (262 mi) · look south · up to 9° · 12:27–12:32 AM PDT |
| Elk Grove, California | 425 km (264 mi) | south | 9° | 12:28–12:32 AM PDT | Low on the horizon | 425 km (264 mi) · look south · up to 9° · 12:28–12:32 AM PDT |
| Sacramento, California | 446 km (277 mi) | south | 8° | 12:28–12:32 AM PDT | Low on the horizon | 446 km (277 mi) · look south · up to 8° · 12:28–12:32 AM PDT |
| Roseville, California | 462 km (287 mi) | south | 8° | 12:28–12:32 AM PDT | Low on the horizon | 462 km (287 mi) · look south · up to 8° · 12:28–12:32 AM PDT |
| Santa Rosa, California | 463 km (288 mi) | southeast | 8° | 12:28–12:32 AM PDT | Low on the horizon | 463 km (288 mi) · look southeast · up to 8° · 12:28–12:32 AM PDT |
| Las Vegas, Nevada | 524 km (326 mi) | southwest, moving south | 12° | 12:28–12:33 AM PDT | Low on the horizon depends on the path | 524 km (326 mi) · look southwest, moving south · up to 12° · 12:28–12:33 AM PDT |
| Henderson, Nevada | 534 km (332 mi) | west, moving south | 12° | 12:28–12:34 AM PDT | Low on the horizon depends on the path | 534 km (332 mi) · look west, moving south · up to 12° · 12:28–12:34 AM PDT |
| Reno, Nevada | 549 km (341 mi) | south | 7° | 12:28–12:32 AM PDT | Low on the horizon | 549 km (341 mi) · look south · up to 7° · 12:28–12:32 AM PDT |
| Peoria, Arizona | 780 km (485 mi) | west, moving south | 12° | 12:28–12:34 AM MST | Low on the horizon depends on the path | 780 km (485 mi) · look west, moving south · up to 12° · 12:28–12:34 AM MST |
| Phoenix, Arizona | 798 km (496 mi) | west, moving south | 11° | 12:28–12:34 AM MST | Low on the horizon depends on the path | 798 km (496 mi) · look west, moving south · up to 11° · 12:28–12:34 AM MST |
| Mesa, Arizona | 821 km (510 mi) | west, moving south | 11° | 12:28–12:34 AM MST | Low on the horizon depends on the path | 821 km (510 mi) · look west, moving south · up to 11° · 12:28–12:34 AM MST |
| Tucson, Arizona | 934 km (580 mi) | west, moving south | 11° | 12:29–12:34 AM MST | Low on the horizon depends on the path | 934 km (580 mi) · look west, moving south · up to 11° · 12:29–12:34 AM MST |
| Albuquerque, New Mexico | 1,274 km (792 mi) | southwest | 3° | 1:32 AM MDT | Low on the horizon depends on the path | 1,274 km (792 mi) · look southwest · up to 3° · 1:32 AM MDT |
| Las Cruces, New Mexico | 1,308 km (813 mi) | west, moving southwest | 5° | 1:31–1:34 AM MDT | Low on the horizon depends on the path | 1,308 km (813 mi) · look west, moving southwest · up to 5° · 1:31–1:34 AM MDT |
| El Paso, Texas | 1,351 km (839 mi) | west, moving southwest | 5° | 1:31–1:34 AM MDT | Low on the horizon depends on the path | 1,351 km (839 mi) · look west, moving southwest · up to 5° · 1:31–1:34 AM MDT |
| Juárez, MX | 1,355 km (842 mi) | west, moving southwest | 5° | 1:31–1:34 AM MDT | Low on the horizon depends on the path | 1,355 km (842 mi) · look west, moving southwest · up to 5° · 1:31–1:34 AM MDT |
From where you are
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The launch
- Liftoff
- Oct 27, 2026, 12:25 AM PDT
- Launch window
- 9:45 PM–1:45 AM PDT
- Status
- Launched
- Rocket
- Falcon 9 (SpaceX)
- Mission
- Starlink Group 15-16, communications
- Orbit
- Low Earth Orbit
- Pad
- Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
A batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Mission summary from Launch Library 2.
Minute by minute
- +0:00 12:25 AM Liftoff. The flame is at its brightest.
- +2:26 12:28 AM The first stage shuts down. The big flame goes out for a moment.
- +2:36 12:28 AM The second stage lights with a smaller flame. In twilight, its exhaust can spread into a glowing cloud from here on.
- +6:04 12:31 AM The falling booster fires again for about 20 seconds as it comes back into the air.
- +8:23 12:34 AM The booster lands on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You, about 574 km (357 mi) out at sea.
- +8:39 12:34 AM The second stage shuts down and the light fades out.
The booster landed on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You, about 574 km (357 mi) out at sea, 8 minutes 23 seconds after liftoff, so no sonic booms reached land.
Did you see it?
No reports have been matched to this launch yet.
Coming up next
How we work this out: we follow a typical climb to orbit (about 70 km up two and a half minutes after liftoff, and about 210 km up and 1,400 km downrange after eight) in the direction the rocket flies, then work out how high above each city's horizon it gets and how dark that city's sky is. Clouds, hills and city lights aren't included. Launch times come from Launch Library 2 by The Space Devs. More on our methods.